


Naruto Shippūden: The Legendary Team「伝説的なチーム」

by HerPrettySmile



Category: Naruto
Genre: Action, Action & Romance, Action/Adventure, Adventure, Adventure & Romance, Best Friends, Canon Compliant, Childhood Friends, Developing Friendships, Drama, Drama & Romance, Eventual Romance, F/M, Family, Family Bonding, Family Drama, Family Feels, Family Fluff, Friendship, Friendship/Love, Gen, Male-Female Friendship, Romance, Team, Team Bonding, Team Feels, Team Fluff, Team as Family, Teamwork, Time Travel, Time Travel Fix-It
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-06-06
Updated: 2017-10-03
Packaged: 2018-11-09 18:45:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 17
Words: 87,934
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11110626
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HerPrettySmile/pseuds/HerPrettySmile
Summary: Because of the Fourth Great Ninja War, of the deity named Kaguya, the world almost came to an end. However, something odd happened; the past came right before their eyes, and they were living in it. The question is… who was the one that time-travelled?[Ongoing; Time travel; Eventual Romance; Multiple Pairings; Team 7-centric]





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Warning: I've gone over this story for more than a few times now and re-checking the grammar and spelling as well as the plot development, but there is always a possibility that I may have overlooked something. So, if you spot any errors, feel free to tell me in either a review or a PM. Also, if you're not updated up to the end of the war, this may come off as a bit confusing, so there are some spoilers ahead for those certain readers.
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. All characters belong to their creator, Masashi Kishimoto. I only own the time-travel plot here and nothing else.
> 
> Pairings are: SasukexSakura, InoxSai, ShikamaruxTemari, NejixTenten, MinatoxKushina, NarutoxHinata (I'm not really fond of this pairing, but maybe Hinata is just who Naruto needs?), and subtle Team7xSakura (because I oddly like multi-shipping her… no matter how weird it may seem). I might add some more, but maybe they're just going to be hints, that's all. [Remember, this fic contains eventual romance; so the first parts of the story will be gen.]

  **PREMISE**

* * *

Kushina fainted just before the masked man could perform the extraction.

"Falling asleep now?" he murmured. "No matter. When the pain comes, you would be awake all throughout."

It was then at that moment that the surroundings became foggy.

Obito blinked from behind his mask, feeling the slightest bit unnerved by this change in setting. The mist seemed unnaturally thick, and he could not see anything very clearly. It felt more like a blackout than a coverage.

"What is this…?" he muttered, eyeing his surroundings for even the most little of movements. Surely there was no such ninja who could perform an ingenious concealing jutsu that could even mask their own motions. The Sharingan should be able to allow him to detect something odd or out of place, but it came so suddenly…

Surely it could not have come from Kushina herself…

— and then, suddenly, there was  _nothing_. Obito blanked out, wondering what he had been about to do. What was his objective again?

But before he had the chance to think, a flash of yellow came at him. Reflexively, he took out a kunai and defended himself with it, gritting his teeth at his brief moment of inattention.

 _What exactly happened back there?_ Obito wondered. Had he managed to extract the Kyūbi from Uzumaki Kushina? Why couldn't he remember anything? And what was with this mist? He couldn't even see if the beast  _did_  manage to come out.

Or was this all an elaborate plan set up by the Fourth? The blond-haired man certainly did not seem like he was visually blocked like Obito was, after all.

Obito clenched his teeth once more. Plans were not made to always be followed completely, but this was getting out of hand. He could only hold back the Fourth Hokage for mere moments; he did not have the current power or time necessary for the man's disposal yet.

_Not yet…_

"What did you do?" Namikaze Minato's voice was as cold as steel, and despite being obviously worried for his wife's condition, his movements remained fluid and controlled. Such was the power of the strongest ninja in Konoha.

After a succession of attacks and dodges, Obito flipped backwards until he was at a considerable distance from Minato. He had to weigh his options at the moment. Fighting him would take too long, and there would be scarcely any golden opportunity like this happening any time soon unless Kushina bore another child.

Minato chose that moment to fall back momentarily as well and immediately rushed towards the direction where Kushina was at. Naruto was already safe and sound back in their home; all that was left was to bring Kushina back safe as well.

When he saw her, she looked exhausted and weary, similar to her state after giving birth at the hideout. Although this time she looked a little more tired, if that was possible; it was probably because of the strain of being forcibly made to stand up and chained through the use of seals after labour. However, Minato knew that she would soon snap out of the haze she seemed to be currently in. Kushina was an Uzumaki; her stamina and endurance was the greatest he had ever seen.

It was then that he heard a loud, almost earsplitting roar.

Minato's head jerked towards the sound, his eyes widening in shock at the sight of the Kyūbi which had seemingly come out from nowhere. It was in  _Konoha_! He turned back to his wife, who looked barely awake but mostly unharmed. Had the masked man really extracted the Kyūbi from her? There was no sign of the seal on her stomach...

There was no time to lose. He had to get her to safety and then protect his village.

Then Kushina's eyes opened. "..Wha, Minato?" she called out groggily, sounding half-asleep. "What… What happened…?"

Minato immediately went towards her and swiftly undid the seals holding her in place. Then he flashed them back into a house using his  _Hiraishin_.

"Minato… Oh, my!  _Minato_!" Kushina's voice suddenly took on a startled, urgent tone. "I—I don't feel the Kyūbi inside me…!"

Minato frowned, his eyes narrowing. "So he really  _did_  do it," he said, gently laying his wife beside their crying baby boy. However,  _how_  the masked man did it was not in Minato's mind at the moment.

"Naruto…" Kushina's voice was awed as she carefully held her son in her arms. "Naruto…  _Naruto_ …" she chanted, happy tears leaking out of her eyes.

Having been an orphan at an early age and bullied when she arrived at Konoha, she didn't have anyone who cared for her. She was alone. She was an outsider.

At first.

Because Minato changed all that the day he saved her. The day he smiled that gentle, warm smile of his as he carried her in his arms, his hand still gripping Kushina's beautiful red locks. She loved him, and she was extremely jubilant at the fact that they had a new member of the family, especially one that unmistakably had both their looks. This time, she would give her son the life she never had back when she was young.

She would protect him with her life no matter what.

Still deep in her thoughts about Naruto, Kushina hoped that he wouldn't get her '- _dattebane'_  quirk. That would be a little embarrassing.

She heard the opening of a closet door and a swish of clothing. Kushina averted her gaze from her child and to her husband who had his back to her, dutifully putting on his Hokage robe.

As the Fourth Hokage, he was going to protect his village.

"I'll be right back," Minato told her quietly.

Kushina arduously craned her neck towards him, finding it difficult to move fluidly due to her tired state. "Minato…" She gave an unsure expression. "…It's strange, actually. I… don't know how to explain this to you…"

Minato turned towards her. "What is it?"

Kushina looked him in the eyes. "…You know that my body wouldn't be able to handle it eventually if the Kyūbi was extracted from me, right? I, as a jinchūriki, should know that best. Yet, I… I feel normal."

He watched as her expression dimmed in puzzlement and wonder.

"As if… I never  _had_  the Kyūbi inside me in the first place."

* * *

• • •

* * *

Obito was extremely pleased with himself. So he  _had_  extracted the Kyūbi after all! That odd nothingness he had felt was probably only a figment of his imagination due to being in the middle of carrying out the plan. Besides, the mist was already long gone, and he suspected that it was only a strange, coincidental trick of light that came with the extraction process, manipulating his vision momentarily.

Now nothing was going to stop him from destroying Konoha to pieces.

At that second, a flash of his old team's picture surfaced inside his mind, almost somewhat mocking him. Vividly, he could see the embarrassed yet gentle smile of Namikaze Minato, the clearly annoyed expression on Hatake Kakashi's visage, the pleasant smile curving Nohara Rin's lips…

…and his own irritated, childish face.

Obito shook the picture away from his mind, determined on seeing the end to his goal.

 _The_ Tsuki no Me  _Project will succeed. I will make sure of it._  He directed his gaze skywards, narrowing his visible Sharingan eye.  _Everything will be remedied when the Infinite Tsukuyomi begins… And no one, not even_ you _, Kakashi…_  Obito's thoughts now rested on said man, the one who was currently at the other side of the forest with the other ninjas of their generation — Gai, Kurenai, Asuma — and awaiting orders.

… _can stop me._

* * *

• • •

* * *

Minato was on top of the Hokage Monument in the blink of an eye, his eyes trained on the Kyūbi's form. Oddly enough, he noted, the creature was not budging an inch from its position. It almost even seemed…  _docile_  despite the faint, panicked cries of the villagers ninjas were attacking it, but it merely swiped away the offenses with its paws, notedly not the tiny bodies charging at it.

Also… it seemed to be looking for something. Or even  _confused_  about something.

Minato kept his ground, studying the Kyūbi. It didn't seem like it was about to attack the village, and Minato didn't want to rush at it headfirst without knowing what it was going to do. Strange, it should even be radiating killing intent by now. It was supposed to be in its nature to be ferocious and merciless.

 _So this is the monster that was caged within Kushina_ , Minato thought. The effect of being a jinchūriki gave Kushina a tremendous amount of chakra, an increment to her own special reserves, thus making her a force to be reckoned with. She always complained to him lightly about the Kyūbi being a ' _snotty fuzzball_ ', as quoted from her own mouth.

Minato was snapped out of his thoughts when the Kyūbi finally made a move.

His fingers tensed, alert on making hand seals when necessary.

" _You_ ," it growled at something below it. "Why are we here?"

Minato frowned, puzzled.  _Who_ —

Meanwhile, on his side, Obito frowned, his mind spinning.  _What is going on? My Sharingan should be controlling the Nine Tails… yet it's not doing its job of wreaking havoc upon Konoha!_ _But I summoned it here!_

 _Wait…_ Obito remembered something.  _When I came to my senses, it was already in Konoha… But I don't remember sending it there…_

The Kyūbi let out a growl — or perhaps it was a choked snicker. "I don't know what exactly is happening here, but it looks like I'll have to take this opportunity." Then its voice turned low and guttural. "You cannot tell me what to do, worthless human. If you think that I am going to be a puppet with you holding the strings… then you have no idea who you are dealing with!"

Minato didn't waste any more time. It looked like the Kyūbi and the masked man were not in amicable terms with each other; all that was left was the latter to take care of. He could worry about the Kyūbi later. Through the one-sided conversation, it seemed that masked man was attempting to destroy Konoha through using one of the powerful tailed beasts, this he discovered when he secretly transported himself near their location. Any attempt on his beloved village was not going to be granted any mercy.

Obito jolted, caught in a rare moment of surprise.  _But this is impossible!_  he thought to himself.  _The Kyūbi can not possibly be unleashed out here in the outside world without it being extracted from its container! And I should be controlling it by now!_

_The Kyūbi's eyes… they do not even reflect the Sharingan!_

"Have your plans failed?" the voice of the Fourth Hokage drifted into his ears. His tone, Obito decided, sounded  _deadly_.

Obito did not want to have to kill his former teacher by his hand. However, this was going to have to be an exception.

_Minato-sensei…_

Minato narrowed his eyes as he deflected a kunai strike to his left, seemingly observing him and his attack pattern.

 _Still fast_ , Obito mused in his mind almost unconsciously.

_Yet on the most important times, you…_

_You're always…_

Obito lowered his arms and pulled out a long, thin, black chain. He did the shackles on his wrist and levelled his gaze.

Then he charged at Minato.

… _late!_

Minato narrowed his eyes and ran towards him as well, special kunai in hand. The masked man had speed, he could admit.

Minato wasted no time in piercing him. However, to his surprise, his kunai went through Obito as if he were nothing but an intangible presence.

And then he was also surprised when his own body passed through as well.

Before he could realize it, the long chain which was dangling along behind Obito caught and held him in place. Minato struggled for only a brief moment before he disappeared in a flash.

He reappeared once more behind Obito, where his special kunai was conveniently placed nearby, and attempted another strike, this time at the back of his head.

However, the attack again slid through like he was battling a ghost. When his arm went fully outside the body, Obito took that moment to try to grab Minato's wrist. However, Minato, already somewhat expecting this, flipped out of the way.

 _His flesh... My physical attacks have no effect on him, but he makes himself materialize to attack me. Namely, I can only aim for him when we both strike blows_! Minato realized.

 _But his risk lies during the moment of attack_ , he further analyzed.  _And considering the crucial opportunity for him to rush at the Kyūbi and succeed in controlling it this time, he doesn't relish a long battle, either._

Obito rushed at him once more, the chains dangling dangerously as he appeared in a flash before Minato, aiming on trapping him with his long weapon. Minato avoided it by striking Obito in the face, causing the latter to make the attack slip through his body as well as allowing his own offense to be rendered useless.

Minato, sensing that this was going nowhere if he kept too long testing out the opponent, used his Hiraishin to flash away.

Obito stared at his former teacher who reappeared in the location of a nearby kunai. Minato locked gazes with him, his mind whirring with speculations.

 _So he uses the Teleportation Jutsu as well..._ Minato thought to himself.  _Is that how he took Kushina and moved away quickly?_

 _A shinobi who outmaneuvered the ANBU assigned under Sandaime-sama's direct control, who slipped through a top-secret barrier, and who knew that the Ky_ _ū _bi's Seal would weaken during childbirth.__

 _Furthermore, it would seem that he undid the Kyūbi's Seal, tried to tame it but failed... unlike Uchiha Madara. However_ _..._ _he managed to go inside the barrier set up by the Hidden Leaf without getting caught. The only shinobi capable of doing this..._  Minato shook his head. Now was not the time. The pieces didn't fit together slightly. What Kushina told him, what the Kyūbi's mysterious intentions were... It was a weight on his mind that he would analyze after figuring out who this masked man was.

"At this point, it doesn't matter who you are," Minato said steely, his gaze hard. "But why are you targeting the Hidden Leaf?"

Obito's eyes narrowed, but then a miniscule smirk played at his lips.  _Do not fret, Minato-sensei._

_All will be fixed... when Project Tsuki no Me succeeds._

"I could say I did it on a whim, or that I planned it," Obito mused, "or that it's war, or that it's for peace."

_The Kyūbi will have to wait. This failure will not sit well with Madara._

_I apologize, Minato-sensei. You will have to die._

_But no worries. You will be there in my Infinite Tsukuyomi. With Rin... and maybe even Kakashi._

Minato tensed, gripping his three-pronged kunai as he assessed a strategy.  _Whatever the case, he's no ordinary man! It seems that he can control the Kyūbi, never mind the slip up, and his Teleportation Jutsu appears to very well surpass both Nidaime-sama's and mine. And he has some dangerous ideology._  He held the kunai in front of his face, watching as the masked man readied himself for either an offense or a defense.  _I must deal with him now or he might be able to succeed in controlling the Kyūbi this time if he defeats me. Whatever the Kyūbi is planning, I will have to entrust the village to Sandaime-sama. As for me, I must take this guy down right here!_

"Even though I have failed, the Kyūbi is now free," exclaimed Obito. "You people have no chance. It may seem harmless for now, but it is the epitome of hatred. You people have no hope left!" He then charged at Minato the same time the latter did.

 _The one who attacks an instant quicker than the other,_ Minato mused,  _will win this match!_

Minato immediately threw his kunai precisely at a point on the masked man's head, watching with a meticulous eye as it seemed to go right through like a gust of wind. The man's arm was outstretched as it reached for Minato's cloak, intent on grabbing it and making his victory. However, before the kunai barely slipped through the flesh, Minato instantly conjured a Rasengan in his hand, aiming it at the man.

Obito did not flinch. He was going to triumph. His hand was more than a millisecond faster than the famed lightning-quick Yondaime Hokage.

 _I win_ , Obito relished in his mind, his fingers already in the process of grabbing the white fabric.

But then, in less than a blink of an eye, Minato disappeared, narrowly escaping his grasp. Obito's eyes widened behind his mask as he felt Minato's form above his back, the Rasengan's whirlwind sound resonating in the surroundings. Minato grabbed his kunai while in the air, then swooped the jutsu onto Obito's back, causing the latter's body to crash to the ground from the impact.

 _Damn_! Obito cursed.  _He flew to that kunai from earlier_!

"That was my Hiraishin, Level 2," Minato said, his voice marginally austere.

And bits and cracks of earth flew around along with the explosion.

The Rasengan dissipated, and Minato left a permanent marking on Obito's back before the latter swooped upwards, away from the smoke and debris and landing on a tall rock, clutching his left arm.

He panted, feeling the prosthetic arm of Hashirama melting along with the dripping blood.

The smoke cleared, revealing Minato as he stood straight, his robe flapping from behind.

"You got me," Obito acknowledged. "This is what is meant by  _'elusive'_. I should never have let down my guard."

However, in the middle of his last sentence, Minato was already in front of him, stabbing him cleanly in the gut. Obito jolted in surprise, staring at Minato.

 _Hiraishin no jutsu_! he realized, seeing Minato's cold, deadly eyes.  _So that's it... He marked my body somewhere!_

"Are you going to kill me?" Obito tested. Not that Minato could, however, even though the latter did not know that he was actually his former student. Obito still had enough tricks in his sleeve to not let himself get captured.

Minato's eyes narrowed.

* * *

• • •

* * *

"What... It doesn't seem like it's attacking," Sarutobi Hiruzen realized, standing on the roof of the Hokage Tower with his ANBU at his sides.

"What is your order, Sandaime-sama?" one ANBU asked, kneeling in front of his superior and ready for anything.

Hiruzen held a hand up, startling his men. "Don't do anything yet. Tell the others to stop their attacks."

"But... the Kyūbi..."

"Is not attacking," Hiruzen said firmly. "And if we keep on attacking it while it is merely sitting there, with no killing intent, there is no guarantee he will stay like that after a while."

"U—Understood."

The ANBU vanished in a swirl of leaves. Hiruzen watched the Kyūbi like a hawk, noting the way it seemed to radiate some sort of confusion from its form. The villagers were still emitting panicked cries from below, but there was not much of a stampede. Instead, there was wariness in the shinobi, ready to stand guard when the beast felt like it to attack. It still had not said anything, but Hiruzen couldn't be so sure.

A female ANBU stepped up. "Sandaime-sama, if I may," she said. "This is our chance to seal the Kyūbi. If we don't use this opportunity, it might be too late."

"I know," Hiruzen said. "However, we will need the Yondaime here. Someone send for him at once, and aid him if necessary."

"Yes, Sandaime-sama!"

 _Minato_... he thought.  _Where are you?_

* * *

• • •

* * *

"I must hand it to you, Yondaime," said Obito as he flashed away from Minato. "You have managed to wound me and are lucky enough that my control over the Kyūbi did not succeed. However," he added, slowly vanishing into space by the use of his eye, "the Kyūbi will be mine eventually. I am going to rule the world... and there are so many ways to go about doing that."

Minato watched as the masked man made his retreat, his eyes steely.  _That tone_... he realized.  _He's not joking around._

Gritting his teeth, Minato transported himself to the battlefield. Hiruzen, who had just been there, stared at him.

" _Minato_!"

"Did the Kyūbi do anything?" Minato demanded.

"No," Hiruzen said, sounding a little bewildered himself.

 _How can that be?_ Minato thought, his confusion mixing along with his apprehension at the masked man's earlier words.  _World upheaval... Perhaps it is just like what Jiraiya-sensei said?_

"I will be right back," Minato called out to Hiruzen, who looked startled. "Hold it off for me if it ever attacks!"

"Minato!"

Hiruzen's shout disappeared into the air as Minato himself also vanished. The Third Hokage pinched his eyebrows together and observed the Kyūbi, whom he realized was watching them with a strange look in its eyes.

Funny, it was almost as if...

In no time, Minato was back, this time holding both Kushina and Naruto in his arms.

"Minato, you —" Hiruzen said.

"So my eyes have not deceived me after all," the Kyūbi's booming voice resounded in the surroundings, causing all to look at him. "It is you, Kushina, and you as well, Yondaime."

Minato narrowed his eyes, taking a step in front of Kushina protectively. "So you speak now," he said warily. "What are your intentions? Do you intend to harm Konoha?"

The Kyūbi shook its head, a faraway look on its face. The ANBU tensed at the sudden movement, but Hiruzen signalled to not attack. It was too risky to make an offense without a proper strategy right now.

It was imperative that they drive the Kyūbi away from the village, to be on the safe side. However, this was Minato and Kushina's call. Hiruzen simply watched by the sidelines, his senses alert and ready to jump at the slightest hint of killing intent.

"I do not wish to harm Konoha. A foolish man tried to control me, but he failed. I have no interest in destruction, but I have a proposal that would, in a way, become a compromise for all of us."

Minato still had his guard up. "How do we know you are not tricking us?"

The Kyūbi made a sound akin to a scoff. "If I were planning to trick you humans, I would have impaled you all with a single swipe of my claw. Now, all of you must follow me."

" _Follow_  you?" gritted out Kushina.

The Kyūbi glanced at her. "Yes. It would not do to be this near to the village, am I right?"

Minato narrowed his eyes.

Kushina grasped his arm, lending his strength in order to stand up. Hours of labour had weakened her somewhat, but the Uzumaki spirit was still alive and kicking. She would not let herself be useless at this confusing, critical time.

"Let's do what he says," she told him. "There might be a chance that he is telling the truth."

"However, there is also a chance that he might be lying," Minato reasoned. "You yourself told me on some occasions that he spouts out hate inside you. Why would he absolve that same hate just because he is now here in the outside world?"

Kushina looked at him. "There is something in the air. Something different," she said, her voice becoming steadier and steadier by the minute. "This may prove beneficial to all of us. The Kyūbi may be an evil being who was sealed inside me, but I can tell if his hate is being suppressed. You can feel it, too, can't you?"

Minato said nothing, looking deep in thought.

"And he is not suppressing it," Kushina continued on, even sounding a bit incredulous herself. "It is as if...  _all_  of it is  _gone_. I cannot explain it, either, but he might give us the answers if we do as he says."

Minato was silent for a moment before eventually nodding. "All right," he conceded, carrying his wife and son once more. "Kyūbi, lead the way."

" _Minato_!" Kushina's face was slightly red. "I can walk by myself!"

"Minato?" Hiruzen inquired, looking lost.

"Sandaime-sama," Minato said. "We shall follow the Kyūbi for the moment. I will need you all in case he... is actually deceiving us."

Kurama walked towards the outskirts of the village, his mind still muddled in thought.  _I am apparently back in the past. This is undoubtedly the event wherein Uchiha Obito extracted me out of Kushina and made me wreak havoc on Konoha._  His eyes glanced sharply at Naruto's parents, the former himself a mere baby in Minato's arms.  _And this is also the event wherein I had killed the Yondaime and his wife... by_ my  _hand._

_I wonder... if it would be all right to change this._

Naruto's grinning face sprang up inside his mind. Then a memory, this time when Naruto was fighting in the Fourth Great Ninja War, alongside his father. Kurama had practically felt the excitement and longing in the boy coalescing, almost to the point wherein it suffocated him. But Naruto simply pushed it to the side, refusing to acknowledge it at the moment since he was busy fighting for the lives of his friends.

He remembered Naruto forcing his chakra out of him, being helped by Kushina in the process. Kurama had felt the sadness, the longing, and the happiness inside the boy after their encounter. It almost made him feel guilty... for being the one who took away his parents from him.

 _But won't it change everything?_ Kurama wondered, sneaking another glance at Minato and Kushina. Kushina was complaining about something to Minato, who managed to crack a smile and tease her which made her go pink in the cheeks. Baby Naruto, on the other hand, stayed sleeping in both of their arms, looking content.

... _or maybe it'll be worth it, after all._

"You will seal me," Kurama announced after they arrived a little far away from Konoha, "inside Naruto."

Minato and Kushina's eyes widened.

Hiruzen looked startled, as did all his ANBU. "What are you saying?" he demanded. "You are offering to  _seal_  yourself inside an infant?"

Kushina pushed away from Minato and took a step towards the Kyūbi, wobbling slightly. "You... want to be inside a cage again?" she said incredulously. "Do you  _really_  think we would believe you? You're going to try to kill my son, aren't you?"

Kurama sighed. It did not help that in the past, when he was inside Kushina, he spouted words of rage at her whenever he could, even going so far as to sneer at her whenever she tried to talk to him. He hadn't wanted to interact with her, and she thought of him as an entity that needed to be locked away. Needless to say, they did not go along  _that_  well.

"No, I am not going to kill your son," Kurama said as patiently as he could. "I am not going to destroy your village." Then an idea came at him, something a little Naruto-like because of its recklessness, but it was better than nothing in order to convince them. "Rather, I  _will_  not, unless you seal me inside that child."

Minato's stance turned guarded. "Are you...  _threatening_  us right now?"

"I wouldn't call it a threat," Kurama mused. "Rather, more like a bargain."

"A  _bargain_?" Kushina echoed in disbelief. "Do you even understand what you're  _saying_ , dattebane?! You're telling us that we should seal you inside my son! And besides, sealing the entirety of you is too immense for Naruto!"

"I believe," Kurama said, the tone of his voice changing into something different that made Kushina stop in her tracks, "that your son can control my power. I have no intention of hurting him nor do I have any intention of harming anyone here in the vicinity as well as the village." Kurama looked at them. "All I ask is to sleep inside your son, and he will learn to control my power when the time is right."

Kushina looked flabbergasted. "You... H— _Hey_!" she cried out. "You weren't  _this_  nice and polite to me when you were inside me! What is this, some sort of blatant favouritism?! Or, wait..." Kushina's eyes narrowed. "Are you some sort of  _pedophile_?! Wait, but you're an animal, so you must be a zoophile!"

Kurama spluttered. "What?  _No_! Ugh, disgusting woman," he muttered. "What the hell is going on in that crazy head of yours? And a zoophile is the one who is—is sexually attracted to  _animals_! Also, need I remind you, I am  _not_  an animal! Inside me is chakra itself!" He was babbling too much, he knew, but he was doing this for Naruto, and he would be  _damned_  if he didn't even  _try_  to defend what dignity he had left.

Kushina stared at him for a moment, before her posture slowly turned slack. "All right, say I trust you this time," she drawled. "However, it is not possible to seal the entirety of you in Naruto's body. Unless..."

"I will transfer half of my chakra into the two of you as a barter," he gestured towards Minato and Kushina's shocked faces. "Is that suited to your satisfaction?"

"Into Kushina and me?" Minato inquired. "How is that possible?"

Kurama held out his hands, not at a threatening manner, with his palms facing Minato and Kushina's chests. "If you will allow me," he said gruffly.

Minato glanced at Kushina, the latter doing the same to him. Then Minato looked at Hiruzen, who nodded and signalled for his men to move closer in case of an attack.

"All right," Minato conceded. "I will trust you."

"That makes it easier," said Kurama as he clenched his hands into fists, holding it out towards the two of them.

Minato stared at it for a moment in confusion, then nodded as he realized something, his fist touching the Kyūbi's. Kushina did the same.

Then they felt it. An immense, powerful chakra flowing into their bodies. It was not a painful feeling, but it was not exactly completely comfortable, either. It was as if their insides were temporarily exposed and everything composing them were allowing the energy to pass through, enveloping them whole and causing their bodies to go numb.

When it was over, Minato and Kushina collapsed to the ground, both breathing a bit heavily. It had been a foreign feeling to them, and especially considering their fatigue from the critical events occurring today, it was only this that made the threads keeping them whole break apart momentarily.

Hiruzen and two ANBU rushed over to them, helping them up. Kurama waited as they composed themselves.

"I  _do_  believe," Minato spoke quietly, "that my son can do it."

Kushina faced him, her eyes wide. "Minato..."

"Originally, I was planning to seal him inside Naruto, too," Minato confessed. "After I sealed half of the Kyūbi inside me using the Reaper Death Seal."

Kushina looked indignant. " _I_  would've offered to seal him back inside me using all of my strength," she cried. "You don't need to sacrifice yourself!"

"But your body wouldn't handle it, and there are a few other reasons why it wouldn't work out eventually," Minato reasoned. "I'm sorry, Kushina."

Kushina looked away, tears finally leaking out of her eyes.

Kurama watched the two of them until Minato finally stood up, looking at him straight in the eyes.

"As per your wish, Kyūbi," Minato said. "I will seal you inside Naruto." He turned his head towards his wife. "I will need your help, Kushina."

Kushina wiped away the tears from her face and stood up as well. When she faced them, her eyes were now glinting with determination.

_I'm itching to ask him how he got outside my body, but... I guess that'll have to wait for now._

"All right. I will watch over Naruto," she promised. "And I will make sure that he succeeds in his life, and his dreams. I will  _not_  let this become a burden to him."

"Neither will I," Minato agreed, smiling. "We will both protect him, with our lives."

Kurama's stare was almost wistful, his lips almost curving into a semblance of a melancholic smile.

_I guess this is my way of thanking you, kid…_

"Before you seal me, however… There is one more favour I would like to ask of you…"

* * *

**end of premise**

* * *

• • •

• •

•

* * *

**OMAKE/EXTRA**

* * *

"Uh… Did the Kyūbi just walk away from the village?" Yamanaka Inoichi echoed the thoughts that were surely in his teammates' heads. "…just like that?"

Shikaku rubbed the back of his head in confusion. "…Seems so."

Chōza was already eating a pack of chips, munching on them with ease. "It didn't look like it was gonna cause trouble, anyway," he reasoned. "At least no one died."

Shikaku sighed. "I guess you're right."

There was a beat of silence before Inoichi spoke once more.

"So… we should probably go back to the evacuation center and return all those people to their homes."

Another beat of silence, this time it was lazy.

Shikaku laid his head on the roof they were sitting on. "…I'm a little tired. Give me five minutes."

"Let me just finish another bag of chips," said Chōza between bites.

Inoichi groaned. "You two are totally hopeless."


	2. Intermission 01

The Slow, Small Variations

* * *

"We cannot," Minato said in a serious tone of voice.

"If the masked man tried to control the Kyūbi, then it must mean that he has the Sharingan. What he attempted to do is similar to the way Uchiha Madara did in the past," said Danzō calmly, though his lone eye was narrowed slightly, indicating his inability to find the situation reasonable. "That means that the Uchiha Clan has to be put under suspicion. Who knows what else they are planning… or rather, _capable_ of."

"And what if they are innocent?" Minato said, apparently not backing down on this argument. "If you and the Council fear that the Uchiha Clan will control the Kyūbi with the power of their Sharingan, that… is only the legend of Uchiha Madara. Since then, no one has done something like that, and the masked man who attempted the act bore no Sharingan. Perhaps it is either for that reason that he failed, or because Uchiha Madara was the only one who could do it."

Danzō stayed silent, his eyes remaining narrowed.

Minato's stance was adamant. "Sowing this seed of discord would cost us the trust of one of the oldest and honourable clans in Konoha, not to mention the possibility of a civil war. I shall not allow it."

The emotionless façade Danzō was painting on his face was now scraping away little by little by the growing hint of anger in his features. "Yondaime-sama, don't think that mere words and promises can satiate hatred." He made a dull noise in the back of his throat and proceeded to walk out of the room.

Minato's gaze on his back was unwavering.

Before Danzō disappeared from sight, his form stopped by the doorway.

"If they are indeed perpetrators or the masterminds of the attempted treason towards the village, _Yondaime_ … It is _you_ who will regret ever giving them a worthless chance."

* * *

• • •

* * *

"I'm home," Minato sighed, taking off his shoes before stepping into his and Kushina's apartment.

"Welcome back!" Kushina's cheery voice greeted from the kitchen. The smell of soup drifted into his senses, indicating that his wife was already making dinner at this time. "You're here so early. How was work?"

Minato smiled, following the direction of her voice. "Tiring. Sarutobi-sama sent me home to rest and told me he'd take care of the minor matters concerning the village."

Kushina's head craned towards him, her expression displaying concern. "What happened?"

Minato slumped on a chair, sighing once again. "Danzō-sama insisted that the Uchiha Clan be isolated from the village 'temporarily' and transferred into one place in order to keep an eye on them since after the Kyūbi incident, the elders have been suspicious of their 'secret activities'. He suspects that the masked man has a Sharingan."

Kushina frowned, thinking about Mikoto. The woman was a gentle soul. However, admittedly, also submissive towards her husband. "He can't do that! Knowing those boring, emotionless guys, they'd get a hell of a lot angry about the isolation thingy, _'ttebane_! And that slimy Danzō can't do anything about it if you still insist that the masked man doesn't have a Sharingan. Woe for him!"

Minato looked at her, amused as she swung her ladle while in the middle of her rant.

"I guess you're right," he said softly. "Maybe you're a better Hokage than I am."

Kushina sent a silly grin his way. "You bet, _dattebane_! I'm gonna throw you outta the office and replace ya first thing in the morning!"

Minato laughed, feeling the tension and stress seep away from his body. His wife always knew how to cheer him up after a long day at work. "By the way, where's Naruto?" He peered at her form worriedly. "Are you sure you should still be up and about? You _did_ give birth only three days ago and you refused hospital treatment after the incident."

"He's in his crib, sleeping." She turned around to face him fully, now ignoring the soup she was minding. "Of course! I feel all better now. Uzumaki women aren't _that_ weak, ya know!"

Minato watched as her face slowly underwent a solemn transition, his expression serious and thoughtful.

"Minato?" Her voice became quiet.

"What is it?"

"About… the Kyūbi…"

"Have you told anyone about what _really_ happened?"

"…No. No, I haven't."

"Good." Minato folded his arms across his chest, closing his eyes. "It's still something we can't comprehend up to now. It would be best to leave it aside for now until we understand what happened. Let's just make sure that no one knows about this."

A small, faint smile curved Kushina's lips. "I agree… Maybe… we'd find the answer someday." She faced him, and his eyes softened. "Through Naruto himself."

* * *

• • •

* * *

Uchiha Itachi loved his little brother.

The moment Sasuke was born, he already had an indescribable attachment to him. It was as if Itachi wanted to bind Sasuke to him and protect him forever, without fail, and let him go on his own for his little brother's personal freedom and independence at the same time. It was a mixed, foreign feeling, something which Itachi had to get accustomed to.

 _Maybe this is what it's like to be an older brother_ , Itachi had thought.

It felt different, though. But it was not unwelcoming.

What Itachi noticed the most about Sasuke though, who was already a few months old, was that he seemed to always be staring at him. That alone should not pose as something unusual, but the gazes were not the kind that emitted curiosity or anything akin or similar of the sort. No, baby Sasuke's gaze was more solemn than what normal babies were capable of. Solemn… and with a hint of restrained, unbridled happiness.

It was definitely unusual.

* * *

• • •

* * *

Haruno Sakura, as a baby, was quiet most of the time. She often, much to her parents' confusion, sat up in her crib and closed her eyes as if she were sleeping upright. She did this about two or three times a week. The first time she did this, she almost made Kizashi faint because the latter thought that his precious daughter was caught in a genjutsu of some sort or even a ninjutsu which made her a statue. In response, Mebuki slapped him on the head for being unfunny and overreacting.

Sakura was an affectionate child, though. She often gave her parents a hug, even when she was crying. It was almost as if the look in her eyes whenever she did was—

But then that spell would break and she'd be back to her normal baby self again.

* * *

• • •

* * *

" _Kushina_?"

" _Mikoto_?"

The two women grinned when they saw each other as they strolled through the streets. Kushina marveled at the baby on the stroller which Mikoto's eldest son was pushing.

"Sasuke has started smiling," she remarked in awe while gazing at the child. "The last time I saw him, he was half-asleep!"

Mikoto nodded with a smile. "The last time you saw him, it was more than a year ago. What have you been up to lately?"

"Well, this little rascal here," Kushina said, lightly pinching her son's cheek, "caused me a lot of trouble at home with his hyperactivity ever since he's started walking!"

Naruto, who had been eating his fingers, widened his mouth as he giggled. He was standing a bit upright now, and was occasionally sending unsure yet somewhat curious glances at the strangers who were talking to his mother.

Mikoto chuckled. "Sasuke here doesn't bother us that much. He only bothers Itachi-kun."

"Really?" Kushina gazed at Itachi, who was looking at her with gentle, curious eyes. "You're Itachi, right?" She poked him on the cheek lightly, like she did with Naruto, causing him to harbour a startled expression on his face. "You're so _cute_! Mikoto, I'm so jealous! Your children seem like they're gonna be handsome dudes one day, ' _ttebane_!"

Mikoto laughed at Kushina's word choice. "Now, now, Kushina," she said teasingly. "Who's to say that your son wouldn't become a hotshot as well?"

"That goes without saying!" Kushina boasted proudly.

Mikoto chuckled once more. "Can I hold him?" she asked softly.

"Sure!" Kushina gently pushed Naruto to her friend. "Naruto, say 'hi' to mommy's friend!"

Naruto didn't say anything, only staring at Mikoto. Mikoto gave him a smile as she took out a toy which she kept inside her pocket. She dangled the small yellow bear in front of Naruto, causing the latter to approach it curiously, enchanted by the bright colour.

"He likes it," Mikoto mused, giving the bear to Naruto as he played with it. Then she scooped him up, earning her no reaction since he was currently busy. "He can have it since Sasuke doesn't like the colour yellow very much."

"Thanks a lot," Kushina said gratefully.

"He's one and a half years old now, right?" said Mikoto, gazing at Naruto's bright blue eyes which were now momentarily looking up at her in delight as she bounced him in her arms. "He looks so adorable, Kushina. I bet he and Sasuke would become the best of friends!"

"That sounds like a great idea!" Kushina hummed happily. "Naruto, say ' _Mama'_!"

" _Papa_!" Naruto said cheerfully, still turning the bear around in his hands.

A tic mark formed on Kushina's temple. "No, not ' _Papa'_! Come on, say ' _Mama'_!"

" _Papa_!"

Mikoto sweatdropped. "It _is_ a little odd, though… Babies usually find it easier to say ' _Mama'_ than ' _Papa'_ …" She smiled. "I guess this mean's he's daddy's little boy?"

Kushina's shoulders slumped in depression. "B—But… I want him to be _my_ little boy," she lamented. She turned to Itachi, who was talking about something to Sasuke. "Can Sasuke say ' _Mama'_? Oh, and why isn't he walking?"

"We've been walking around for a while, and it's nearing his nap time, so I placed him in the stroller," Mikoto replied. "And yes, Sasuke can say _'Mama'_ and _'Papa',_ too. He's improving his vocabulary little by little since Itachi's the one who's been teaching him words."

Kushina's eyes sparkled. " _Really_? Itachi-kun!" She immediately placed warm hands on the young boy's shoulders, effectively startling him. "Please teach Naruto, too!"

"E—Eh…?" Itachi managed to say.

"Ahaha… You really want him to say ' _Mama'_ , huh…?" Mikoto remarked in amusement.

" _Yes_!" Kushina cried. "All he _ever_ says is ' _Papa'_! I mean, not that it's a bad thing, ' _ttebane_ , but it's like I'm a _stranger_! He never calls out to me!"

Kushina, in the end, walked with them as she chattered away, with Mikoto filling in here and there. Mikoto still held Naruto in her arms, the child still engrossed with his new toy, since Kushina was busy cooing at Sasuke. She tried to hold him, but Sasuke immediately bawled, struggling in Kushina's hold. Itachi chuckled as he took his little brother, rocking him in his arms and whispering soothing words in his ear.

Kushina immediately fell into depression. "…I guess babies just don't like me…" she muttered pitifully.

"Now, now," Mikoto tried to assure. "Sasuke's always like that. He just prefers to be with Itachi-kun rather than anyone else."

Kushina was about to sigh when she spotted a particular orange shirt for babies in a nearby store. Immediately attracted, she rushed inside, calling out a " _Watch Naruto for me for a bit_!" before she examined the clothing in the racks.

Mikoto chuckled. Kushina was certainly a very lively woman. She and Minato complemented each other perfectly, what with the man's calm, gentle demeanour. She really did hope that Naruto and Sasuke would become good friends one day, and the reason was not because of politics at all.

She simply wanted her and Kushina's families to blend together as one. She honestly believed that a friendship like this could last forever, down to their descendants.

Suddenly, Mikoto was snapped out of her thoughts by a loud, shrilly cry. It took her a moment to realize that it came from Naruto, who was struggling in her arms.

"Ssh… Ssh, Naruto-kun," she cooed, trying to get the baby to calm down. "What's wrong? Are you hungry? Sleepy?"

But Naruto paid no attention to her, still squirming. Mikoto gently put him down, but gripped his hand securely in case he would suddenly run off. His head was darting around as if looking for something.

 _Ah_ … It clicked in Mikoto's mind instantly and she smiled.

"Are you looking for your mother?" she asked.

Naruto sniffed, still looking distressed. " _Mama_ … Mama…" he muttered anxiously. " _Mama_ …"

Mikoto's heart melted.

_He isn't a daddy's little boy, after all…_

"I'm back!" Kushina's sunny voice declared. "I have — oh, _Naruto_!" She immediately rushed to her son's side, scooping him up in her arms. "Are you sleepy? Then let's go home now. But wait, _look_!" She cheerfully held up the orange shirt she bought from the store. "It's your new clothing! Looks pretty, huh? It's a combination of me and your Papa's hair colours! _Orange_! Yay!"

As Kushina waved goodbye at the Uchiha family and began to go home, Mikoto smiled as she watched them.

"Isn't Aunt Kushina the one they say who's beautiful and deadly at the same time?" Itachi spoke up curiously.

Mikoto nodded, giggling. "Yup. Though they forgot one minor thing about Kushina's personality…"

"What is that?" Itachi's tone was inquisitive.

Mikoto turned to her son and chuckled. "That she's a bit dense sometimes."

* * *

• • •

* * *

When Minato came home one night, he was surprised. A strong, delicious aroma wafted through his nostrils as he entered the house, causing him to become thoughtful for a moment.

It wasn't very unusual to say the least. Kushina _was_ a good cook, after all, and always made sure that he and Naruto were fed on time. However, she only ever cooked this many dishes when there were guests.

"Narutooo~" Kushina's voice sing-songed from the kitchen. "Hey, hey, one of your godfathers is coming over! Isn't that exciting?"

"Who is it?" Minato asked with a smile, his head popping out from the edge of the doorway.

Naruto, who was now two years old, was pulling at his mother's apron as he watched what she was doing. However, when he heard his father's familiar voice, he turned around and grinned.

Minato came up to his son in an instant, poking at his chubby cheek which only made Naruto laugh.

"Papa!" he exclaimed.

"Who else?" Kushina chuckled. "It's—"

The sound of the door opening and footsteps interrupted her sentence. Minato blinked, then a new voice resounded in the room.

"Yo."

"Oh," Minato said with a grin, turning to see his former student looking unreadable as always behind the perpetual cover of his visage. " _Kakashi_! It's you!"

Kushina turned her head as well and gave a bright grin. "Kakashi-kun! Glad you came! Come, sit! Dinner will be ready in just a moment."

"Kushina-san, Minato-sensei," Kakashi greeted evenly. Then his gaze came to rest upon the cheekily grinning child. "Is that…?"

"Yes," Minato affirmed, picking up his son and walking towards him. "You haven't seen him ever since he was born, right? Kakashi, this is Naruto." Minato gave him a warm, almost paternal smile. "Your godson."

Kakashi peered at Naruto's face, his lone eye betraying nothing of his emotions. "He… looks just like you, sensei." His voice was low and soft.

"Hey, he's got my smile, ya know!" Kushina hollered from the kitchen. "He's gonna look like me when he grows up!"

Minato turned to his son. "Naruto, this is Uncle Kakashi."

"Un... cle 'Kashi?" Naruto mimicked.

Minato chuckled, facing Kakashi. "Want to hold him?"

Kakashi looked startled at this offer. "I…"

Minato gave him an encouraging smile. "Go on, Kakashi."

There was a brief hesitation on Kakashi's part. In his life, he experienced losses of many kinds. First was his father, who committed suicide. Who didn't even _think_ about his son before deciding on death. Who didn't even _think_ about the fact that his son was still _young_ and, contrary to what most people believed, needed a father, a _parent_ who could guide him through life.

Second was Obito. Kakashi had been nothing but strict and apathetic towards him, yet the boy only served to prove his beliefs wrong from the very start. Even though they weren't even the best of friends, Obito still sacrificed his life for Kakashi, even going so far as to give his Sharingan eye to him as a gift for becoming a jōnin.

Third was Rin. Even though he wasn't good at showing it, Kakashi had always cared for her and protected her whenever she got in trouble which she couldn't handle on her own. He knew she was strong in her own way and respected her for it. She was the mediator between him and Obito whenever they squabbled.

Till then, Rin remained kind and selfless. The latter, however, not so much. She did not even think about what he would feel when _he_ was the one whose hand hurt her, whose power ripped straight through her flesh regardless of whether he expected it or not. Kakashi could not help being a little bitter, but sadness and acceptance always won over afterwards.

The ones who were close to him always died. Always left this world. _Always_ left him behind.

Just _what_ was so special about him, anyway? Why was _he_ allowed to live, and why were _they_ supposed to die?

Kakashi stared at Naruto's cheerful yet also somewhat expectant face as Minato held his son out to him.

But he was not alone yet. His sensei… The Yondaime Hokage, Namikaze Minato… He was still here. He didn't leave Kakashi behind.

He was _alive_.

And there was also that person… one whom he didn't expect…

"You know, sensei," Kakashi said, tentatively holding Naruto in his arms and looking at his former teacher in the eyes. Minato stared back, puzzled, yet waiting for his student to finish his sentence.

There was a hint of a grin in Kakashi's voice.

"I think, someday, he'll become Konoha's sun."

* * *

**end of intermission**

* * *

• • •

• •

•

* * *

**OMAKE/EXTRA**

* * *

Kushina was out to buy some groceries, so Minato was alone in the house with Naruto.

"Come on, Naruto," he urged. "Say ' _Papa'_!"

" _Mama_!" Naruto said cheerfully.

Minato sighed, a small smile creeping up on his face. "You've gotten your mischievousness from your mother… only calling me ' _Papa'_ when she's around." Grinning widely, he tossed his son into the air, basking in the wonderful comfort of Naruto's happy cries. "You're so _cute_!"


	3. Chapter 1.1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [X] Naruto, which I've heard many times in the anime, refers to his father as 'tou-chan' and his mother as 'kaa-chan'. I'll be incorporating that here.
> 
> [X] The title of volume 01 figuratively refers to flower buds, not the term buds associated with friendship.

**VOLUME 01: BUDS**

* * *

At three years old, Naruto was like a ball of sunshine for both Minato and Kushina.

Minato, although swamped by Hokage duties, still found time to spend with his precious little baby toddler. Naruto awed and inspired him in many ways; he was just _so_ much like his mother. He was hotheaded and stubborn at times and seriously loved to prank. The little squirt was even becoming slightly less dependent on them now and improving his usually mispronounced words.

But sometimes Minato would notice that Naruto often stared at him longingly whenever he thought he wasn't looking. Minato could easily mistake this as due to his constant absences in their home, but there was just something in those blue eyes that held so much pain and happiness that a child _couldn't_ possibly bear at that age. Of course, his volatile emotions showed often because he was still so young, but this seemed like a different issue.

What Minato didn't know was how happy Naruto was whenever he saw him and Kushina. Naruto didn't really understand, but something inside him wanted to be with his parents as much as possible and disliked it whenever they had to go somewhere. He often expressed this through tantrums of his own.

"You're going to be a fine person someday, Naruto," Minato said with a smile, ruffling his son's unruly blond locks before donning his Hokage robes and proceeding to leave.

It was then that he felt tiny arms wrap around his legs and the small trembles his son's body made.

"...Be safe, tou-chan," Naruto mumbled, not having the strength nor the courage to let go just yet.

Minato, surprised at his three-year-old's clear and unusual speech, could only smile and grab Naruto's hands in his and give a reassuring squeeze.

"I'll see you soon, Naruto," he promised. Usually, his son would whine at him not to go, so even though Minato didn't show it, he was inwardly startled.

_Sometimes, I feel like he's growing up too fast…_

And then the spell broke. Naruto blinked, thinking that he was supposed to be feeling something right now. Yet his mind drew a blank.

Kushina, on the other hand, watched as her son stood before the doorway, staring at his father's retreating form. Though her heart broke for her child, she understood the duties and the responsibilities of a Hokage. Konoha was home to her, too, and she loved it almost as much as Whirlpool. Soon, Minato would become a more legendary figure in his own right while she would go back to shinobi duty once Naruto entered the Academy. It wasn't in her nature to just sit still at home, after all.

"Kaa-chan," Naruto spoke up suddenly, turning to her with tear-filled eyes. They were, in truth, only out of pure confusion and remnants of the ephemeral memory, but Kushina of course didn't regard it as such.

Kushina was about to go to him when he beat her to it, wrapping his arms around her legs so tightly like he never wanted to let her go. He just suddenly felt very lonely and clingy, and watching his father leave oddly tapped an otherworldly emotional part of his senses.

"Naruto, your tou-chan's just really busy these days," Kushina explained, hugging her son to her chest. "Just give him time. His workload will lessen, you'll see."

Naruto understood and knew his mother did not lie. He really liked Kushina, but her scary side whenever she got angry always made him think twice before approaching her.

" _Thank you for letting me be your Mom… Thank you for letting Minato be your Dad… Thank you for being born to us! Thank you… so very much."_

"I love you, kaa-chan," Naruto told her sincerely, his beam just as bright as sunshine.

Kushina blushed, then coddled her son, chuckling. "Aw, I love you, too, kiddo!"

* * *

• • •

* * *

"Kaa-chan's birthday?!" four-year-old Naruto exclaimed in wonder. He was already jumping in place out of excitement, his grin threatening to reach his ears.

Minato gave a nod, his smile appearing to be more perceptible in the light. At his age, Naruto was already beginning to talk more, even constantly. Naruto and Kushina could talk about anything, even nonsensical things, while he would only fondly listen at the sidelines and interject something here and there.

"Yes. Would you like to do something special for her?"

Naruto nodded fervently. "I wanna give her something! Like, uh…" His face scrunched up in thought. "What does kaa-chan like?"

Minato pretended to look thoughtful. "Hmm…"

"Ah! I got it!" Naruto turned to his father with the exact same silly grin he inherited from his mother. "Kaa-chan's hair is really pretty, so I'll give her a flower wreath to decorate it with! Then she'll become the prettiest mom in the village!" He then laughed a little nervously, rubbing the back of his head in an unconscious manner. "Eh, not that kaa-chan isn't… I mean… Uh…" he stuttered feebly.

Minato placed a warm hand on his son's shoulder, effectively stopping the latter's unsure rambling.

"I understand, Naruto." Minato's smile was unwaveringly gentle. "I am sure your mother will love it."

Naruto smiled at him. "Thanks, tou-chan..."

Minato let go of his son's hair, still wearing that perpetual gentle smile. "Now let's go get those flowers for your mother," he urged, offering his hand.

Naruto happily took it and began to walk towards the flower shop with his father, chattering cheerfully.

"Ne, tou-chan! I think it'll be better if we get her _roses_!"

* * *

• • •

* * *

"They're late," Kushina muttered darkly, glaring at the three-tier birthday cake she made for herself on the dining table, "and on my special day, no less." A low growl escaped her lips. She had been in a bad mood ever since she spilled their last reserves of flour due to accidentally slipping on the floor. Not only that; there was also the case of a stray dog — she still had a sneaking suspicion that it belonged to the Inuzukas, particularly _Tsume_. That woman was ever the town mischief, after all. _Second_ to her, of course, because _Kushina_ was the one who _excelled_ at playing pranks — stomping all over her small flower bushes and scattering petals all over her once-tidy lawn. Heck, it could even have been Inuzuka Tsume's own twisted, wild idea of a birthday gift.

Kushina's face was as red as her hair by the end of the day.

Wanting to de-stress, she baked herself a cake, using the recipe which she asked from Mikoto months ago for the intent of making it for Minato's birthday. She had worked on it for almost two hours, and because of the feel of leisure and being her own persona in the kitchen, she felt her frayed nerves scrape away.

However, when she glanced at the time, she realized that the two males whom she cared about the most in her life were late. Minato had wanted to take Naruto out along with him to have some father-and-son time, something that Naruto was deprived of since Minato was swamped with his Hokage duties. It was a rare time for them to be together, so Kushina relented without even an internal complaint, even though it was her special day.

But they had _promised_ to be back before ten! There were no shops open _this_ late at night! Kushina's mind opened up and went towards the road of paranoia, envisioning unthinkable things that possibly happened to her family. _No_ , she forcibly reassured herself. _Minato is strong. I trust him to take care of Naruto,_ and _himself as well._

Seconds swept past, minutes flew by, until it was now nearly midnight. Kushina was almost out of her mind with worry. After thinking it over carefully, she ran towards the front door, grabbing her coat on the way. She would never forgive herself if she ever let anything happen to them just because she was cozy at home while the two most important men in her life were possibly in danger.

Kushina was almost out the door when the front door abruptly opened, revealing her apologetic-looking husband and son. Greeted with the sight, Kushina unconsciously gripped her hold on her haphazardly-worn coat, although relief now warmed the earlier coldness of her skin. After the shock wore off, she schooled her features into that of a furious expression, a dangerous aura surrounding her.

"...And just _WHERE_ have you two been?" she demanded, fighting to keep her voice under control.

She saw Minato and Naruto flinch from her tone and she smirked inwardly. It was sometimes nice to know that she had her own authority in the household.

"...Er, we..." Minato tried to explain, but he was obviously uneasy at his wife's rage. "I'm sorry, Kushina."

"Sorry, kaa-chan," Naruto apologized as well, hanging his head low. He had always been afraid of his mother, so the words he wanted to say were lost in his throat.

Kushina stared, feeling the anger inside her melt and fade away. How could she ever resist those identical endearing eyes? "Well, as long as you two are safe," she relented, letting them both come inside. "What made you come back so late, anyway?"

Minato stepped inside, but Naruto didn't move from his position. Kushina blinked in confusion at her son, moving towards him.

"Naruto? It's okay, sweetheart," she crooned. "Kaa-chan isn't angry anymore. Won't you come in? It's cold out."

Naruto stood silent for a moment before lifting his head, his eyes slightly watery but there was something new in there now.

It was almost as if he was trying to be hopeful about something.

"Kaa-chan," he said, taking a step towards her and revealing a single flower from the inside pocket of his jacket, "happy birthday."

Kushina stared in shock.

The flower was not plain by any means. It was actually a rose, its petals a vibrant shade of red. The petals were spread out as much as possible, revealing multiple layers arranged in its usual fashion. However, there was something different about it that made it different from a normal rose.

It was the faint, visible golden aura surrounding it, enveloping it like a crowning halo. Even from this distance, Kushina could feel her residual anxiety slowly evanesce, and a soothing kind of calmness was gradually seeping into her body.

"We had to go outside Konoha's borders for a bit," Minato explained, then doing it a little hastily at Kushina's immediate forceful glare. "There's an abandoned safehouse near the fields there where my team and I sometimes stayed at to rest for a while before going back to Konoha. I had placed one of my markings there, so I used that to transport me and Naruto."

Kushina frowned, her glare not faltering in the slightest. "And... what happened?" she said icily.

Minato gulped. "Nothing happened! _Really_. But it turned out that all of the flowers in the field were in bloom, so that meant there were thousands of identical-looking roses with various colours and sizes. Naruto and I had a heck of a time searching for the Golden Red Rose amongst all those roses."

"The Golden Red Rose?" inquired Kushina. _What a cheesy name_ , she thought absently.

"Aunt Mikoto said that the Golden Red Rose is a unique flower that can help fade away the things that make someone sad, and that it only bloomed every once in a year there," Naruto spoke up almost tentatively. "I... just wanted to give you something that would make you happy. I'm sorry, kaa-chan..."

Kushina stared at her son for a long moment before scooping him up in her arms, snuggling him to her chest. "I'm happy, Naruto! I'm very happy," she assured him with a teary expression. "Now don't look so sad like that! You're my big, strong, energetic boy!"

Naruto perked up at that, looking at his mother almost shyly. "I also think the flower is as beautiful as your hair, kaa-chan!"

Minato smiled, staying at the sidelines as he watched his wife blushing at their son's remark, thus ensuing a playful banter between the two.

Naruto turned to his father enthusiastically. "Tou-chan also has something to give you!"

Kushina blinked. "Your father does?" She glanced at Minato, who suddenly looked pink and embarrassed.

"Uh… Here. Happy birthday, Kushina." He took out something from the inside pockets of his coat and placed it over his wife's head, gently tucking a few stray strands behind her ear.

Kushina, blushing and clearly unsettled, fidgeted in place. "Wh—What is it?!"

Naruto had run off towards the living room and now came back with a hand mirror in tow. He placed the mirror in front of her face.

Kushina stared. Her reflection showed her usual appearance, aside from the distinct flower wreath she now wore. The wreath consisted of small, dainty white roses, arranged in such a way that it complemented her hair and brought out her naturally fair complexion.

"You look beautiful," Minato said easily, his smile warming her heart.

Kushina fought to keep the blush off her cheeks. She was now a grown woman, _dattebane_ , and she had a _son_! But there was just something about that genuine, honest personality of Minato that was extremely charming. It was no wonder that he had been the most sought-after bachelor back in the days, especially when word of his amazing feats in battle spread around the village, creating dozens of rabid fangirls.

"Th—Thank you," she stammered, going over to her husband and hugging him tightly. "Come here, too, Naruto!"

Naruto happily joined in.

Minato sneaked a surprised glance at the abandoned three-tier cake on the dining table and smiled pleasantly.

_Honestly... she's so cute._

* * *

• • •

* * *

This was it. The moment when he could finally get out of the house after a long time. He had been feeling antsy for a while, and was eager to go outside and explore. Kushina had been hesitant at first for a reason which he did not know, but she eventually relented when Minato managed to convince her that everything would be all right. Not that their conversation mattered much to Naruto, anyway. He was glad to be outside, to embrace the fresh air in the surroundings.

"Minato," Kushina said as they stopped to sit on a bench and admire the clear blue sky and the peaceful surroundings, "maybe we should go visit Mikoto later with Naruto."

"Good idea." Minato smiled, ruffling his son's hair. "Naruto can finally get the chance to meet Sasuke, then."

Naruto looked up at his father inquisitively. "Who's Sasuke?"

"Sasuke is the youngest son of your Aunt Mikoto," Kushina told him. "You've never met him because he's always out with his brother. I'm sure you two will get along. You're about the same age, after all."

Naruto grinned, then pulled his parents towards a nearby candy shop after exclaiming that he wanted a snack. They were about to go inside when suddenly they were crowded with people, all of them apparently either former classmates or teammates of his parents.

"A reunion?!" Kushina exclaimed, unconsciously letting go of her son's hand as an acquaintance slipped beside her.

"…Now?" Minato said slowly, feeling uncertain. "Can't it wait…?"

Meanwhile, Naruto was distracted by the sight of an injured dog limping towards the forest. He pulled out some bandages from his pocket, something that Minato encouraged him to always carry just in case, and impulsively ran after the animal without a word to his parents, too focused on his goal.

* * *

• • •

* * *

Suddenly, he was lost in the forest. Where had his father and mother gone? Which way did he go in? And where was that poor dog?

Then a sharp, familiar pang of loneliness ached at his heart. It was too, _too_ familiar to simply wave away.

It was as if — _he never actually_ had _any parents to begin with._

But that was impossible, right? His father and mother had been _right there_. He had been able to _touch_ them. He had been _with_ them for _five years_ now.

There was just no way that he was _alone_.

Did he forget again? He was doing it too much recently. And there were these puzzling images inside his head…

Suddenly, he heard the sound of muffled cries.

Naruto's head jerked towards the source of the sound and followed the direction, desperate to find anyone. _Anyone_ at all.

"Hello?" he called out first tentatively. Then, when no one responded, he said it again in a louder voice.

It was then that he found her.

A young girl was crying not too far away from him, covering her face with her hands as she sobbed.

"Um… Hello…" Naruto spoke up, sounding unsure.

The girl's head slowly rose, her gaze on him surprised.

She was pretty, something that Naruto noted first oddly. With her unique light-pink hair and shining green eyes, she looked more like a dainty doll.

"Who… Who are you?" she sniffed, looking just slightly wary. Her mother _had_ told her to not talk to strangers, after all.

 _Even her voice is pretty_ , Naruto thought unconsciously. "I'm Namikaze Naruto," he introduced himself softly, not wanting to scare the girl away. Already, he felt a sort of connection to her, and he didn't know why.

Something in the deepest recesses of his mind was tugging at him, but he just couldn't figure out _what_.

What _was_ this feeling?

"Oh…" The girl wiped away her tears and looked at him almost shyly. "I'm Haruno Sakura. It's nice to meet you."

Funny, it was almost like… _nostalgia_.

"Why're you crying?" he asked.

She blinked at his question, then didn't know if she should appear strong or break into tears once more.

"I… They told me my forehead was so big… that I looked like an a—alien…"

Naruto frowned. "You don't look like an alien."

Sakura stared at him, surprised. "R—Really?"

Naruto nodded, grinning brightly. "You look more like an angel!"

She blushed, gazing at the ground in embarrassment. She didn't know this boy, but she was already warming up to him. There was just something about his honesty and smile… that made her like the idea of being friends with him.

Naruto was about to say something when he heard a sound.

"Is someone out here?" a voice called out.

Naruto and Sakura froze in surprise.

Not long after, the wild bushes rustled and opened to reveal a young boy about their age with short dark hair and equally dark eyes. His complexion was fair and smooth, giving him a sort of otherworldly beauty.

Or, ( _cough_ ) at least, in _Sakura's_ eyes.

While the little girl was — _oddly_ — blushing, Naruto took the initiative to introduce himself.

"I'm Namikaze Naruto!" he greeted with a smile. "Are you… _lost_ , too?"

The boy regarded them with a curious look, tilting his head in a sort-of cute, impish way. "Me? Nope. I know this forest well. Nii-san and I always train here."

"You… want to be a ninja…?" Sakura asked shyly.

The boy gave the smallest of smiles. "Yup! I wanna be as strong as Nii-san someday!" He stared at them, frowning slightly. "How did you end up in this forest?"

"I was chasing a dog that looked injured," Naruto replied.

"…I ran in this direction without thinking, and I can't find my way back," Sakura said, hanging her head in shame.

"No problem, then. I'll lead you two out. Come on." Without further ado, he stretched out his hand as if in invitation. "I'm Uchiha Sasuke."

Naruto took Sasuke's outstretched hand without a second thought, though he was wondering why his name sounded familiar. Sakura, on the other hand, took the free one at Sasuke's side, albeit shyly.

"Um… I'm Haruno Sakura," she finally introduced herself.

A cute sight eventually greeted a frantic Minato (who was about to use Hiraishin because he had made sure to make a mark on Naruto's seal) and Kushina (who was about to flail her arms in the air in panic) when the three children appeared by the park from the forest.

Their son Naruto was holding the young, overly familiar dark-haired boy's left hand while a pretty pink-haired girl was holding the boy's right hand.

It was like fate.

* * *

• • •

* * *

There was a small festival in Konoha during the night.

Naruto was walking happily with his parents, blabbering excitedly about anything he could see, Sakura was quietly enjoying the sights with her mother and father, Sasuke was talking contentedly with Mikoto and Itachi, and Kakashi was with Gai, the latter rambling on about a duel on who could eat more yakitori.

The street had four-way crossroads. So, when the three of them reached the intersection, which was at the center of four roads, they were met with the startled faces of one another.

It was then at this second meeting that it happened.

Naruto stared at Sasuke, who in turn stared at him in equal surprise.

_An older-looking Naruto pointed at the dark-haired boy. "I don't wanna be in the same team as him!"_

_An older-looking Sasuke gave a small, irritated grunt. "Hn. Same here, moron."_

Sasuke's mind reeled.

" _I'm leaving. Don't follow me."_

" _I'll bring you back to the village with my own hands!"_

Sakura's eyes shined with tears.

" _Sasuke-kun! Don't go!" an older-looking Sakura pleaded, desperate tears leaking out of her eyes. "If you do, I'll scream!"_

_An older-looking Sasuke slowly turned around and gave her a semblance of a smirk. "You really are… annoying."_

Kakashi stopped suddenly, confusing Gai who was beside him.

_An older Kakashi looked at his three new students. "Each of you will get a bell. The one who doesn't gets sent back to the Academy."_

" _But there are only two bells!"_

" _Well, that's for you three to decide, hmm?"_

"What… How…" Naruto managed to say, his voice dropping to a low, thoughtful tone.

"Huh?" Sakura blinked at the memory, inadvertently glancing at Sasuke.

The latter, on his part, was confused. "A waterfall… Black marks…" he muttered.

Kakashi, on the other hand, looked a bit unfazed compared to the other three. "Hmm… I wonder what that was about…" he murmured.

"What's wrong, Kakashi?" Gai questioned, looking puzzled. "Why have you stopped walking?"

"Sasuke?" Itachi inquired.

Mebuki shook her daughter. "Sakura, what's the matter? The line for the candy floss stall is getting bigger."

"Naruto?" Minato placed a hand on his son's shoulder. "You all right, son?"

Naruto looked at Sakura. Sakura looked at Sasuke. Sasuke looked at Naruto. Then their gazes switched over to the other.

Kakashi, on the other hand, observed them silently. _A snippet of the future?_ he wondered. _In the Ninja World, there are always some unpredictable things to expect._

… _however, why would it be shown to me?_ He gazed at the three children once more. One was his godson, one was the youngest son of the Uchiha Clan Head, while one was an ordinary civillian girl.

Meanwhile, the three children stared at each other.

It was Naruto who made the first move. Without a word, he walked towards Sasuke, extending a hand towards him.

The latter looked at the proffered hand in surprise.

"Mikoto?" Kushina said, only now realizing her close friend's presence.

"Kushina?" Mikoto, however, had a pleasantly surprised smile on her face, unlike Kushina's wide-eyed look.

It was then that Sasuke hesitantly took Naruto's hand, the latter grinning at the former's acceptance. Then, realizing that there was something missing, Naruto turned to Sakura, who inched away a little at the attention. Without further ado, Naruto went towards her and held out a hand.

Sakura stared at it for a moment, hesitating. She looked up and saw Naruto's sparkling blue eyes, seemingly beckoning to her. Sasuke's dark, fathomless ones were piercing through her own.

She gently gripped Naruto's hand.

"Looks like they've become close," Minato remarked, smiling.

"Oh, Hokage-sama!" Mebuki exclaimed, giving a respectful bow. Kizashi mirrored her actions simultaneously. "A pleasant evening to you and your wife."

"Thanks, _dattebane_ ~!" Kushina said cheerily, but realized too late her overly casual greeting as well as her habit. "Er…"

"I wish you a pleasant evening as well," Minato covered up his wife's stuttering smoothly. "Although it looks like our children wants to play together."

"I say we let them, Hokage-sama." Kizashi laughed. "It's my first time seein' my baby girl bein' so friendly to others! She's usually so shy!"

"Sasuke, we'll be at the game booths," Mikoto told her son. Then she turned to her eldest, concern in her eyes. "Itachi-kun..."

Itachi gave a small, reassuring smile. "Sasuke can take care of himself, kaa-san. Let's go. I'll help you win prizes." He sent a quick glance at his brother. "It looks like Sasuke wants to spend time with friends."

"Naruto!" Kushina called out before she left. "We'll be at the ice cream stall waiting for you in two hours, 'kay? We can go to the bridge later!"

"Yeah, kaa-chan!"

Kakashi gave a secret smile and went on his way with a confused Gai following from behind.

"Oi, Kakashi," Gai said, perplexed. "Wasn't that your godson?"

"Yeah" was Kakashi's short reply. Gai followed him as he walked away with his hands inside his pockets.

The three children began to wander aimlessly in the festival grounds, absently watching the colourful lights strewn all over the place as well as the flashy kiosks. They didn't know why or how, but they felt a connection with each other. Even though they all first met days ago, this time, it felt different. Memories were trying to resurface, but something was blocking them.

Even their personalities were beginning to evolve into something unusual...

"So, where do you two wanna go?" Naruto asked, resting his arms behind his head, letting them serve as a makeshift cushion.

Sakura stayed silent. Sasuke, on the other hand, was curiously staring at a nearby target game.

"Why don't we play that?" he suggested, pointing towards the booth.

Naruto excitedly agreed and got out a few ryō from his pocket, paying the man attending to the booth. The man gave him a small, round stone, informing him that he had only one try to shoot at the moving duck target right at the bull's-eye.

" _Hah_! This'll be a piece of cake!" Naruto said confidently, aiming his arm. Sasuke paid the man, too, getting a stone of his own.

Naruto steadied his arm, focused on the duck, then threw the stone with all his might.

It missed by half an inch.

"Eep," he squeaked, embarrassed. "…This is a lot harder than I thought… Ehehehe…"

Sasuke quietly pulled back his arm, steadying himself into an adult-like posture which he had always seen on Itachi, and threw his stone.

The stone cleanly sailed through the bull's-eye, the duck target falling to the ground from the impact.

Naruto gaped in shock. Sakura had mini hearts in her eyes.

"Y—You're so cool, Sasuke-kun," she said shyly.

Sasuke turned towards her nonchalantly. "Do you wanna try?"

Sakura's face turned red. "N—No! I—I'm not very good at throwing…"

"C'mon, Sakura-chan!" Naruto encouraged with a bright smile, placing his stone which he had just bought on the counter. "I'm sure you'll get it on the first try, just like Sasuke did!" Then he glared at Sasuke. "Don't get so cocky that you got a prize!"

Sasuke sent him a dull look. "That never even crossed my mind," he deadpanned.

"But…" She stared at Naruto's comforting eyes and gulped. She was afraid of expectations, but if it would make her friend happy...

They _were_ friends now... right? Even though this was only their second time meeting...

The owner of the stall gave her a stone after she meekly paid him. She stepped up to the counter, swallowing as she tried to focus on the moving duck in front of her. In her eyes, it seemed to be moving too fast, too sporadically. Her throwing arm quivered as she felt the anxiety seeping up her throat.

"Go, Sakura-chan!" Naruto cheered.

Sakura shut her eyes as she finally decided, preparing to hurl the stone. It didn't matter if she messed up; she just had to throw it or she'd explode.

When her grip slackened, Sakura opened her eyes.

Her jaw dropped open.

Naruto, who had been watching intently beside her, gasped in amazement.

" _Wow_! You did it, Sakura-chan!" he whooped. "It was too fast for me to see, but you did it! I _knew_ you could do it!" He turned to her and raised his arm. "High five!"

Sakura gave a happy smile and met his palm with her own.

"Congratulations!" the man said. "You and the dark-haired boy get a prize!"

Unbeknownst to Naruto and Sakura, Sasuke moved from his place behind Sakura's back and inconspicuously stepped to her side. The owner gave him a secret smile which he promptly ignored.

It wasn't like he was trying to keep it a secret, anyway. It wasn't his fault that Naruto had been too engrossed in staring at the target while Sakura had her eyes closed.

Sakura's eyes were sparkling as she pointed at a small, blue-coloured teddy bear hanging by the roof of the booth. "That one, please!"

The man gave it to her and asked Sasuke what he wanted.

"I'll take those, please." Sasuke pointed at a pair of gloves by the counter.

"Oh, these?" the man said. "These are for easier practice with the sword. Do you use one already, young man?"

Sasuke shook his head, his expression softening. "No. It's for my brother. He's already training to become an ANBU."

When they left the booth, Sakura holding her stuffed toy to her chest and Sasuke placing the gloves inside his pocket, Naruto proposed that they go to Ichiraku and eat ramen. Sasuke and Sakura, feeling a bit hungry, agreed.

"One miso ramen, please, uncle! With extra pork!" Naruto announced, eagerly sitting on one of the stools.

Sasuke took his place at Naruto's left while Sakura took Naruto's right, placing her toy on her lap.

"I'll have one miso ramen, too," said Sasuke.

Sakura lowered her head slightly. "Um… I'll have the same, please."

Teuchi called out something in confirmation as he worked on their orders. Sasuke slipped his hand inside his pocket, searching for his money. His fist came out empty.

Sasuke's mind spun. What had happened to his money? Had he been pickpocketed?

A flashback sprang inside his head, reminding him that his mother had not given him his allowance for the festival yet. She said she'd give it to him after they ate together so he could have some fun.

The money he used for the target shooting game was the remains from his previous allowance.

Sasuke went rigid. So that meant that he didn't have any extra right now. Borrowing from Naruto or Sakura was very embarrassing, but he had to, or else he'd be kicked out from the restaurant. And that would be _more_ humiliating.

Swallowing his pride, he turned to Naruto. "H—Hey," he stuttered, his face going pink. An Uchiha did not _stutter_! "Uh… Do you have an extra 20 ryō?"

Naruto, in the midst of his hunger, did not fully process Sasuke's question. "20 ryō…? No… I've only got 5 left… Ask Sakura-chan."

Sakura, who overheard, faced Sasuke, blushing. "U—Um… I have extra," she said hesitantly. "If you don't have enough, I'll pay for you."

Sasuke turned his head away, embarrassed. "Y—Yeah… thanks a lot. I owe you one."

Three miso ramen bowls were then placed in front of them, prompting the children to stare at their food in awe. Naruto dug in first, filling his mouth with noodles. Sasuke and Sakura went next, chanting " _Itadakimasu_ " before eating.

"Ramen here is the best!" Naruto exclaimed.

* * *

_Meanwhile…_

* * *

"I am _positively sure_ that I did _not_ raise him to eat so sloppily like that!" Kushina complained in a whisper.

Minato chuckled nervously. "I'm sure he's just hungry… By the way, Kushina… why are we hiding behind a post and spying on our son?"

" _Shush_ , Minato!" Kushina admonished her husband, sending him a death glare. "You'll get us caught!"

Minato stared at the passers-by who gave them strange looks. Then, at the corner of his eye, he saw Kakashi and Gai walking past them, the former waving at them as if this were a normal occurrence while the latter kept on ranting about something.

"…We aren't even inconspicuous in the first place," Minato muttered, a sweatdrop forming at his temple.

* * *

• • •

* * *

"Well, I gotta go!" Naruto said, grinning as he rested the back of his head against his arms. "I gotta go meet tou-chan and kaa-chan by the bridge where the fireflies are!"

Sakura looked befuddled. "But I thought they said to meet up at the ice cream stall first…?"

Naruto nodded vigorously. "Yeah, yeah! That's just what I said!"

Sasuke sighed. "Yeah, sure…"

"Well, I'm off! See ya, guys!" He waved as he walked away. "I had fun!"

"Bye, Naruto…" Sakura waved back.

"Well, I'm going, too." Sasuke placed his hands inside his pockets. "See you, Sakura."

"Bye, Sasuke-kun…" Sakura's voice trailed off as she stared at his retreating back.

 _I'm left alone…_ Sakura shook her head, willing the sudden, unexpected lonely thoughts to go away. _I'm gonna find otou-san and okaa-san!_

The three of them went their separate ways.

* * *

**tbc**

* * *

• • •

• •

•

* * *

**OMAKE/EXTRA**

* * *

"Uh, Itachi-kun…" Mikoto said uncertainly, glancing at the horrified man attending the booth. "I think you should stop now…"

Itachi turned to his mother, confused. "Kaa-san?" he inquired cluelessly.

The booth was a shooting game, though different from what the children were playing earlier. In this shooting game, there were tiny, _tiny_ figurines placed on four shelves, and if you managed to make one fall off using an _equally_ tiny stone, you'd get an amazing prize. Secretly, though, the game was rigged. The figurines were actually glued to the floor of the shelves.

So, unfortunately, for the man behind the booth, Itachi had managed to shoot down almost _every_ single one, the latter already casually attempting on the last figurine as if it were his shuriken practice.

The man shot one last glance at his expensive prizes, then dropped to the ground in a dead faint.

Itachi stared at him, then at his mother. "…Did I do something wrong?"


	4. Chapter 1.2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [X] Just in case anyone might be wondering... I'm basing all events from the manga, not the anime. That means there will be no events that happened from fillers, no filler characters... However, if it's crucial to the plot, I may make a few exceptions.

Memories were constantly popping inside his head. However, unlike usual remembrances, they were ephemeral in his case. Just when he was about to touch them, they slipped right out of his fingers as if they were water.

Another strange thing was that he somehow knew that his behaviour should not be this… _restrained._ It was supposed to be normal for five-year-olds to run free without a care in the world, to play and do anything without reservations, except if it broke the rules. Yet it felt like someone was trying to tell him something. Like there was _something_ he should know.

And something he should _do._

But what _were_ they? Why was there always this feeling of unrest inside him?

Naruto shook his head, willing his confusing thoughts away. He had just been enrolled in the Academy and he was going home alone, finally managing to persuade his mother to do so. He wanted to feel at least a bit of independence, after all. He wanted to act like a grown-up like his parents!

Naruto whistled as he strolled leisurely along the oddly deserted path, not even noticing that there were three masked ninjas creeping up to him through the trees by the side.

His startled, fearful yell was muffled and unheard before he eventually lost consciousness.

* * *

• • •

* * *

Tenten sighed as she continued to run laps across the village. Her stamina was below average, so she needed to work on that. Not to mention her _speed._ If she was interested in wielding all sorts of weapons, she had to enhance her strength and agility. However, if she pursued that road with her current meager abilities, she would fail as a kunoichi. Her goal to become like Senju Tsunade was still intact, and she was not about to let this training deter her from it.

Tenten persevered, ignoring the aching soreness of her legs. _Just one more lap to go, and I'm done… I have to prepare for the Academy...!_

She was about to round a corner when she suddenly halted in her tracks, her eyes wide as she immediately hid behind a cornerstone.

_That's…!_

She watched in shock as the Fourth Hokage's son was being carried away by three unknown ninjas, seemingly in the direction of the gates. Tenten panicked. Her legs were nearing fatigue, and she didn't know if she could swiftly make her way towards the Tower. That, and she was frozen in anxiety and fear.

_What do I do, what do I do, what do I do…?!_

Without any thought to where she was heading, Tenten sprinted aimlessly, trying to find at least one person who could inform the Hokage. She arrived at a street where many civillians were occupying, but there were no shinobi anywhere.

Tenten was about to succumb to exhaustion when a hand suddenly gripped her shoulder.

"Hey, little girl! What's the matter?" an exuberant voice inquired.

Tenten turned around.

Before her was a man dressed in a green jumpsuit with orange striped leg warmers as well as the standard Konoha flak jacket. There was a red forehead protector worn around his waist like a belt.

And his face… was, er, rather _unique…_

"Ah, the youthfulness of the generation today," he mused passionately, though more to himself than to her. "Such dedication in training!"

Tenten, waving away her shock, immediately grabbed the man's vest, her eyes immensely wide as she panted.

"S—Sir! P—Please tell the Hokage right away…!" she breathed out. "H—His son… has just been _kidnapped!_ I saw it with my own eyes!"

* * *

• • •

* * *

Naruto blearily blinked his eyes, registering jerky movement. He was being carried somewhere. He would know if it were his parents holding him, but the grip on his body was far too tight and cold. A chill ran down his spine as he saw that he was in the arms of a masked ninja, with only his eyes showing amongst the hidden parts of his face. Naruto immediately kept his eyes half-lidded, frozen with fear. He was going to be starting the Academy soon, so he had made sure to prepare for it in his excitement.

But he never expected anything like _kidnapping_ to happen to him!

He had to do something!

Naruto tried to crane his head inconspicuously, attempting to see if he had his pouch with him. However, his current position made it difficult since his wrists were bound together behind his back and his legs were tied as well. He felt like he was in a cocoon.

_Tou-chan… Kaa-chan…_

Naruto stared at his surroundings desperately. They were in a forest, so his kidnappers must still be running away from Konoha. He prayed that they didn't get out of Konoha's borders yet.

But how could anyone save him, when nobody even saw him get abducted?

* * *

• • •

* * *

"What?"

Minato immediately stood up, sending his chair reeling backwards with a brief shriek. His eyes were narrowed, his jaw clenched tight.

"My son was taken?" Not even waiting for a response, he closed his eyes, seemingly concentrating on something.

"How did this happen?" Hiruzen asked from Minato's side. He had been with the Hokage to discuss brief, fairly unimportant business when Maito Gai suddenly came rushing in, his expression grave. "Nobody reported anything suspicious detected from the barrier!"

"Well, a little girl—" Guy began to explain.

Minato's eyes flew open. "Sandaime-sama," he said. "Please take over the office for a while. I'll be right back."

Before Hiruzen could open his mouth, Minato had already disappeared, a small gust of wind accompanying the space he occupied.

* * *

• • •

* * *

Naruto, having shaken his thoughts off of pessimism, determinedly listened to his captors' snippets of conversation. If he managed to get some sort of information from them, maybe it would help in guaranteeing his escape. He _was_ a prankster, after all. He had a lot of tricks up his sleeve.

He'd just have to wait until they… eventually _untie_ him.

"The lord will be pleased," one man mused in sheer happiness.

"Hey, did he really say that we have to give this kid to him _alive?_ He's heavy!" the man carrying Naruto complained.

"You've said that many times, now shut up. It's just a kid. You're ten times bigger than him, idiot," the last man remarked snarkily.

"Hey, you wanna die, huh?!"

 _The lord…?_ Naruto gulped. _Where were they taking him? Was he going to become a slave? A sacrifice? Or worse…_ food?!

Naruto's exaggerated mind immediately took him to places where he was placed in a giant hot pot, his three captors gleefully pouring soup on him and assortments of fruits and vegetables.

 _NOOO!_ Naruto's mind spun wildly in terror. _ANYTHING BUT_ _VEGETABLES_!

Filled with newfound determination, Naruto bit his captor's arm as forcefully as he could. The man, startled by this action, yelped in pain, clutching his injured part while Naruto wormed his way out of his hold, slumping to the ground.

…Okay. Not exactly a good idea to escape while still tied up, but… oh, well.

"You little son of a bitch!" the man howled, his expression contorting in anger. He made a move to hit Naruto, but the latter swiftly dodged out of the way, trying to scamper back to the direction where he thought Konoha was.

"Hey! Don't let him escape!"

"Catch him!"

"Or we'll get in trouble with our lord!"

Naruto panicked, unconsciously crying out for help inside his mind.

_I'M DEAD I'M DEAD I'M DEAD I'M DEAD I'M DEAD_

Then, in his Inner World, Kurama's eyes fluttered open.

_"…Hn."_

A red aura instantly enveloped Naruto's body, allowing him to effortlessly break free of his restraints. He could feel the foreign chakra bubbling inside him for just that brief moment before it abruptly disappeared, leaving him wondering what just happened with his mouth open wide.

_What…_

"The _Kyūbi!"_ one of the men exclaimed in fear.

"You idiots! _Catch him!"_

Naruto panicked, immediately standing up and breaking into a hasty run. His fear and alarm caused him to sprint a lot faster than usual, and he was panting as he pushed his body forcefully over its limitations.

He just needed to get away from those scary men!

He could feel them catching up to him now. It wasn't fair! They were full-fledged shinobi! He was just a kid!

Frustrated tears sprang in Naruto's eyes as he pushed himself even more. His legs were screaming at him; they felt sore and numb from overexertion, but he didn't care.

If he didn't run, he was going to be dead.

In the midst of his panicked thoughts, he wasn't looking at the ground, so he didn't see the rock before it was too late.

He tripped on it ungracefully, his body plopping to the ground with a loud thump. Dread swelled in his chest as he clawed at the dirt, trying desperately to get back up again. However, his attempt was ruined when a foot lodged itself onto his back painfully.

 _"Hah!_ We got ya!" one of the men relished. "A mere kid can't outrun a ninja!"

"Be careful! He might unleash the Kyūbi!"

"He won't be able to if we tamper with his seal like the leader instructed us!"

"Oh! You're right!"

Naruto felt his hair being pulled at as one of the men forcefully moved him upward. Then the latter grabbed him by the neck as he lifted Naruto up in the air.

 _"Hey!"_ Naruto protested, choking as he tried to struggle his way out of the man's strong grip. "L—Let go of me…!"

 _Wait…!_ Naruto realized.

_Tou-chan's kunai!_

_"Here, Naruto," Minato said with a smile as he handed over the three-pronged weapon onto his son's open palm. "Remember, you must project a bit of your chakra into the seal, okay?"_

_Naruto gripped the kunai in response, looking up at his father with inquisitive eyes. "What for, tou-chan?"_

_"So that whenever you're in trouble, I'll come in an instant to save you," Minato said sincerely. "Well, maybe not_ that _quickly if you're too far away from me, but I will find a way to come to you. You can count on that."_

_Naruto's face lit up and he automatically raised his pinky finger. "Promise?!"_

_Minato chuckled, intermingling his own pinky finger with his son's. "Promise."_

_Tou-chan…_ Naruto gritted his teeth as he released one hand from his grip on the man's wrist. _Tou-chan…!_

Using every last bit of his strength and speed, he slipped his hand into his pouch and hastily rummaged for the kunai.

_I got it…!_

He was about to channel his chakra into the weapon when he was suddenly interrupted by the man lifting his shirt up to reveal the seal on his stomach. Naruto's eyes widened as each of the man's fingers lit up into blue flames.

_What… What is he gonna do…?!_

The man gave a triumphant grin. "Hah! I'm gonna make sure you don't get access to the Kyūbi's chakra anymore, brat!"

Then his hand came swooping towards his stomach.

Naruto panicked for some reason.

_No…!_

Everything then became a blur.

The next thing Naruto knew, the wind was knocked out of him as he felt his body careening towards the ground by a strong force. He gasped at the impact and instinctively rubbed his stomach, the soreness throbbing slightly on that area.

 _What happened…?_ he thought to himself almost groggily as he blinked to focus his vision. There seemed to be something familiar in front of him…

_Wait._

Naruto's eyes snapped open in clarity.

The distinct white cloak of the Fourth Hokage flapped with the wind as the person wearing it was standing with firmness and dignity in his posture, his blond hair prominent among the dull colours of the surroundings.

Namikaze Minato craned his head towards his son, his eyes conveying his obvious concern.

"Naruto," he said, and his voice was tinged with regret, "are you all right?"

Naruto stared at him for a moment before tears leaked out of his eyes. His body shook in relief and awe as he managed a firm nod. "Y—Yeah… tou-chan."

"The Fourth Hokage!" the man exclaimed.

 _"Kousuke!"_ one of his teammates said nervously. "W—We'd better retreat…"

"Mouri's r—right, Kousuke!" another one of his companions piped in. "This guy's in the Bingo Book, and it clearly said to _flee on sight_!"

"Sh—Shut up!" Kousuke stammered, clearly rattled by this turn of events. "I kn—know that!"

Naruto vaguely found it funny that his big, bad kidnappers were so easily reduced to stuttering cowards once his kickass father showed up.

 _Serves you guys right!_ Naruto thought to himself, immediately feeling safe and satisfied. _Tou-chan, after all, is completely badass! Hah!_

Minato, who was still holding Kousuke's wrist in a vice-like grip, spoke up.

"Sorry I'm late," he apologized. "You weren't in Konoha's borders, so I had to transport to different places in order to track down your location."

"…I—It's okay, tou-chan," Naruto assured. "I'm fine now. You showed up just in time!"

Minato seemed downcast. "Still… if I were just a second too late…"

Kousuke, swallowing, took advantage of this opportunity to attempt to drive a kunai down on Minato's hand which was still gripping his wrist.

Naruto's eyes widened as he noticed the action. "Tou-chan, look out!"

Minato's eyes narrowed.

"Let go!" Kousuke yelled before swooping the kunai down on the flesh.

Except it never did.

Instead, the weapon pierced through empty air. Kousuke's upper body reflexively leaned forward because of this, and he staggered slightly in his position. However, before he could recover, Minato was already behind him in the blink of an eye.

"Go to sleep," he said in a steely tone before proceeding to knock out the man in one blow.

The other two accomplices froze in their spots before breaking into a desperate run.

Minato effortlessly appeared behind them and knocked them out as well, rendering them unconscious on the ground. Naruto watched in amazement as his father managed to defeat his kidnappers in practically less than a minute.

"…Th—That was _amazing,_ tou-chan!" Naruto marveled, his eyes sparkling animatedly. "You gotta teach me some of your moves someday!"

Minato turned to his son, managing a tiny smile. "Ah… well, all right, someday." Then, in an instant, he was in front of Naruto, touching him and checking his skin for any visible injuries.

"T—Tou-chan…"

"Are you really all right?" Minato said worriedly. "Did those men hurt you in any way?"

Naruto nodded a bit. "I'm fine now."

Minato frowned, obviously unconvinced, and searched his son's eyes. His gaze then rested upon the marks on his neck from an obvious, vicious strangle and his heart twisted. "Naruto…" he said gently, wrapping his arms around the small child and embracing him. "You don't have to pretend to be strong."

Naruto froze.

"You're still young," Minato continued on with a sad smile. "It's okay to cry. Sometimes, I even think you're trying too hard to become an adult." He chuckled. "You don't have to be in a rush to grow up. Embrace your youth, embrace your dreams, and enjoy your life and what you have. The world of the shinobi may be cruel, but your mother and I will always be here for you until you believe that you can fully stand up on your own. Okay?"

Minato felt his son's body trembling badly as the latter finally sobbed, clawing at his father's back as he poured out all of his suppressed fears. Minato responded by hugging him tighter, shutting his eyes as he swore to himself that he would never be this oblivious and careless about his child ever again.

* * *

• • •

* * *

They arrived at Konoha in no less than ten minutes. Minato called upon some ANBU to pick up Naruto's kidnappers and bring them to Ibiki for interrogation. Then, while giving his son a piggyback ride, he teleported himself to the hospital where he gently set Naruto down on one of the seats and proceeded to talk with the receptionist.

Naruto sobered up from his crying and was a bit chipper now. He never knew how much he loved his father and he only just realized the great extent of it. He was so lucky to have a parent like him.

"You sure you're okay?" Minato asked him gently as he approached, placing a reassuring hand on Naruto's shoulder.

Naruto nodded, beaming. "I'm fine, tou-chan! You can go now. I can take care of myself here."

Minato smiled, warmth diffusing from his countenance. "All right. Remember, when the medic calls for your name, go to her immediately. _No pranks_ , okay?"

Naruto pouted lightly at the uncalled-for insinuation.

Minato chuckled. "It's what your mother would've done."

 _Oh, and speaking of Kushina…_ Minato shivered as he imagined the creative ways Kushina would torture him when she found out about Naruto's situation.

_…She'll kill me for this, I just know it._

When his father rapidly left the vicinity in a swirl of leaves, Naruto took the opportunity to look around the surroundings curiously. Hospitals were boring. The walls, the floors, and the furniture were mostly monochromatic. There weren't any extravagant splashes of colour like how he painted his room (Kushina was still sore about that, muttering about how expensive cans of paint were) and the people there were all harbouring serious expressions on their faces. It disconcerted him a bit, since he was used to the exuberant feeling of his home. There didn't even seem to be any kids his age, either.

After the Kyūbi incident, his father, the Hokage, had announced that he, _Naruto,_ was a _hero._ Naruto knew about the beast dwelling inside him months ago. When his parents tentatively brought it up to him, he oddly didn't quite feel much about it at all. When Kushina asked him about the Kyūbi, Naruto honestly responded that the creature hadn't tried to communicate with him at all. Minato wanted to help him control the Kyūbi's power, but said that unless the Kyūbi himself offered or Naruto accidentally used the power, they would not be starting yet.

Naruto only felt neutral to the Kyūbi. There was no denying that he was curious, of course, but it seemed too surreal a story since the Kyūbi never even revealed itself to him. It was like trying to see something that wasn't visible to the eyes. It just wasn't present.

But that moment when Naruto felt the bubbling red chakra overflow into his body, when the foreign, powerful energy pumped adrenaline into his veins…

He felt that unmistakable dormant presence inside him, and it was both eerie and exhilarating.

Naruto knew that the villagers were aware of this fact. There were some people who talked to him sometimes, greeting him with authentic, friendly smiles on their faces. Some, however, were merely indifferent to him, but nevertheless were not projecting any animosity.

But at times, he caught very few glares sent his way, as if blaming him for something. Naruto didn't understand why, but kept it to himself. He didn't want to worry his parents and he also didn't want them to make too much of a fuss about it. His mother was prone to her short temper sometimes while his father, while calm and rational, also had an icy side to him, especially when politics or the village or something were concerned.

And now, Naruto could currently feel a stranger's eyes boring holes into the side of his head. It wasn't even the curious kind at all; it felt more like an antagonistic glare, and it was bothering him so much. However, he kept himself from squirming slightly in place. Minato told him to be good, after all. The kidnapping incident was still weighing on his mind, and remembering how scared and anxious he had been was making his heart slow.

 _"Damn_ Kyūbi brat."

Naruto stiffened instantly.

The man's voice was deep and rough, resembling a drunken person. Naruto didn't want to turn around; the uncomfortably hostile tone was scaring him. No one had ever talked to him like that, and instead of being angry-confused about it, fear was freezing him in his spot.

The voice was getting closer. "Tch. Someday, that monster inside you is gonna break out and destroy the village! How _dare_ you still stay here!"

Tears sprang in Naruto's eyes, and he found himself unable to fight back or even retort. He didn't even want to turn around. The fear he currently felt was suffocating, and it even seemed _familiar._

Was it true? Was he _really_ going to turn into a monster someday?

But… the Kyūbi saved him… right…?

"Namikaze Naruto?" a medic with kind brown eyes approached him, holding a clipboard to her chest. "I'll be treating that gash on your arm before you get an infection —" She cut herself off when she spotted the man who was swaying in his position, still glaring daggers at the small child.

"Excuse me, sir," she said steely, "drunks who are not injured are not allowed inside the hospital."

"Why not?!" the man exclaimed angrily, making Naruto flinch. "I come here to see my wife! But then I saw this demon kid and I wanted to put him in his place!"

His voice was loud enough to stun the people nearby, and a tense silence began to envelop the room.

The medic woman twitched. "The hospital is not a place for you to bring trouble, sir. Please get out or I will call security."

"Why're ya defendin' that demon brat!?"

Naruto covered his ears. He didn't like it. He didn't want to hear the man's voice, to practically feel the ill will emanating from his form. He wanted to get away from this place.

He wanted his mother.

Soon, the medic woman had security forcefully usher the man out. She then faced Naruto, whose expression pierced her in the gut. Like some people, she was a little bit wary of the creature inside this child, but she didn't want to treat him any differently just because of that. People were just afraid of the unknown. They were afraid of the things they didn't understand, and they were scared that it would turn out to harm them in the end if they trusted it. Most of the population believed in the Hokage's words, though, and treated Naruto nicely since their leader was his father and also because the latter wanted his son to be regarded as a hero. Understandably, some people didn't sit well with that. There would always be a difference of opinions.

But that didn't mean that they had to pick on a _child._ Children were shaped by their surroundings, and they were sensitive. Insecurities could easily rise, and their physical, mental, emotional, and social development could also be influenced.

"Please don't listen to that man," she told Naruto softly. "You're a good boy, aren't you?"

Naruto stared at her with wide, sad eyes. "D—Do you… think I'm a monster, too…?"

She was taken aback. "Of course not," she said automatically, and reveled in the slight relief in the child's eyes. "There are just some people who are afraid of what they don't know. The best solution is to ignore them… and prove them wrong."

"Prove them… wrong…?" Naruto inquired.

She nodded with a small smile. "Prove to them that you're not monster. Even though there are a few who might hurt you with their insensitive words, you have to become a better person than they are. Don't stoop down to their level."

Naruto swallowed heavily, remembering his mother's words.

_Kushina smiled. "We should fight back with our principles, and not only with our fists. Okay, Naruto?"_

"Okay…" Naruto gave her his best sunny smile. "Thanks a lot, nee-chan!"

The woman blinked, obviously caught off-guard by the boy's sudden, cheerful disposition. "Ah, yes… You're welcome." She recovered quickly, sending him her own gentle smile as well and leading him towards one of the rooms. "Now come with me and I'll heal you to the best of my ability, okay?"

"Yes, nee-chan!"

* * *

• • •

* * *

When he was finished at the hospital, he was about to head home when a blur of red suddenly knocked into him hard.

Naruto squeaked. "Who — _kaa-chan_?!"

"Oh, I'm so _glad_ you're okay!" Kushina cried out, hugging her son tightly, almost desperately. "I am _never_ going to let you out my sight again! I al—almost lost you… I—I can't believe it…!"

"Kaa-chan…" Naruto tried to assure. "I'm okay now! I'm sorry… I'm very sorry…"

Kushina released her hold on him and instead grabbed his shoulders, not in a painful way. "What are you sorry about?" she said incredulously. "It's _not_ your fault, get it?! Those bastards will pay for _ever_ laying a hand on my son!"

Naruto sniffed, feeling overwhelmed, and hugged his mother himself.

_Thank you… Thank you so much..._

"Let's go home, kaa-chan…"

* * *

_Meanwhile..._

* * *

"What did you find?" Minato asked.

Ibiki frowned deeply. "Little to nothing. Although I did find out one interesting piece of information..."

"What is it?"

"That there's a dangerous group out there... and this is only the beginning of their plans."

* * *

_One month later..._

* * *

His first day at the Academy and he was _late!_

Naruto rushed towards the building, noting that it was already ten minutes past eight. Increasing his speed, he frantically searched for his classroom. When he finally found it, he didn't waste any more time.

" _I'M HERE_!" he yelled, accidentally slamming the door open in his haste.

As expected, a sea of faces turned around to stare at him.

The teacher, a man with tan skin and a distinct scar across his nose, faced him, looking startled.

"Are you Namikaze Naruto?"

That perked Naruto's expression even more. "Hell yeah! Remember that name, 'cause I'm gonna be Hokage someday! _Believe it_!"

"Hah?!" a feminine voice snorted. _"You?"_

Naruto, frowning deeply, turned around to the source and found himself looking at a girl about his age with short blonde hair and blue eyes that had seemingly no pupils.

 _"Hey!_ It's gonna happen, ya know!" he protested.

 _"Ha!_ Just because you're the Hokage's son doesn't mean that you're gonna be the Hokage as well," a boy with spiky brown hair sneered, his small, sharp canines baring a little aggressively.

"Whaaat!? You wanna have a piece of me, ya dog-looking sissy?!" Naruto shouted, pointing at said kid accusingly.

The boy stood up in indignation. "Bring it on, whiskers!"

"All right, that's enough!" the teacher's stern voice resounded in the room. "Yamanaka, Inuzuka, be quiet and welcome your classmate properly. Namikaze." He turned to Naruto, who was still glaring at his opponent. "My name is Umino Iruka. I suggest that you refrain from having such improper conduct in my class and take your seat beside Haruno, the girl by the window."

Naruto _'hmphed'_ and stalked towards the said location.

Then he caught a glimpse of his seatmate.

 _"Eeh?!_ Sakura-chan?!"

Sakura was staring at him, blushing in what seemed to be sheer embarrassment. Her green eyes were already starting to well up with tears.

"Oi, Namikaze! Leave her alone!" the Yamanaka girl reprimanded.

But Naruto ignored her. "Ne, ne, Sakura-chan! You remember me, right? We played together with Sasuke that night at the festival!"

Sakura, looking like she was trying her best not to cry, ignored him.

Naruto went slightly rigid. "...Sakura-chan...?"

 _"Naruto."_ Iruka's voice now held a hint of impatience to it. "Sit down so I can now continue my lecture, please."

Absently, Naruto obeyed, sneaking glances over towards the nervous-looking girl beside him.

_What's wrong with her...?_

* * *

• • •

* * *

After class, Sasuke took him by the arm and pulled him aside.

 _"Sasuke!"_ Naruto exclaimed in pleasant surprise. " _You're_ here, too?"

Sasuke looked at him, expression hard. _"...You."_

Naruto blinked in confusion. _"Me...?"_

Sasuke seemed to be struggling for the words to say. "You... I..."

"Sasuke...?" Naruto said, still puzzled. What was wrong with his friends today?

Before the boy could open his mouth to reply, both of them heard a startled cry not too far away from them.

" _I—I'm sorry!_ "

It was Sakura's voice.

And she sounded so... _terrified._

Naruto and Sasuke froze for the briefest of moments before they ran towards the direction of her voice.

When they arrived at the scene, Sasuke immediately pulled Naruto aside and hid themselves behind a nearby tree, their distance already covering enough space for them to listen in clearly without being too near for the girls crowding around Sakura to notice them.

 _"Sasuke!"_ Naruto hissed. "What the hell are you doing?! We gotta go help Sakura-chan!"

"...Just shut up," Sasuke said in a low, harsh whisper. "Let's find out what's going on first."

Naruto looked entirely unhappy by the idea, but obeyed grudgingly. "Fine! But I'm going to butt in if those girls start to hurt her more!"

* * *

• • •

* * *

Sakura's entire body was shaking in fear. She felt so paralyzed that she couldn't breathe properly. What did she do so wrong this time? Why was she always being picked on?

Was she really just so useless? Just a waste of space? Just a worthless painting in a gallery that made everyone around scoff because she was the only one ruining the portfolio?

It was terribly unfair, but she couldn't fight back. It just wasn't right. Ami and the others were older than her. She had no right, as the younger one, to oppose her seniors.

"Hey, wide forehead!" Ami said, unhappiness colouring her voice. "You bribed Iruka-sensei to make the Hokage's son sit next to you, didn't you?!"

Sakura's eyes were impossibly wide. _"N—No!_ I—I didn't...!"

Ami grabbed her hair and started pulling at it, granting her a pained cry from Sakura. "What's your deal, huh?! You tryin' to get on the Hokage's good graces?! Well, it ain't gonna work! With your wide forehead, he ain't even gonna spare you a glance!" Then Ami let out a sharp laugh. "No, wait — Yondaime-sama would probably gape at your forehead first and secretly laugh about it at his home 'cause he's too polite to do so in front of your ugly face!"

Naruto, as expected, exploded. _"HEY!_ Tou-chan isn't like that at all, ya little—"

Sasuke's hand immediately slammed over his mouth, muffling the other profanities which Naruto cleverly created all by himself. "You _idiot,"_ he hissed. "Are you _trying_ to get us caught?!"

Naruto forcefully grabbed his hand away from his mouth and glared at him. "Oi, Sasuke! Don't you have _any_ shred of compassion?! That's _Sakura-chan_ they're bullying! The same Sakura-chan who played with us at the festival and bought you ramen because you forgot your spending money! Are you _really_ just going to let her get hurt by those freaks?!"

Sasuke levelled Naruto's glare with one of his own. "Do you even _know_ what you're saying right now?! They're bullying Sakura because of _you!_ If you go out there right now and stop the fight, what good would it do? It would only serve to fuel their anger because you're defending her."

"Then _you_ go!" Naruto said, desperation leaking out of his voice. "If _I_ can't save Sakura-chan, then _you_ go!"

Sasuke's expression dimmed a little, and he averted his gaze. "It's not that simple," he said.

Naruto was getting even more angry now. "What?! _Why?"_

Their voices were already getting a little louder. Fortunately, they were drowned out due to the obnoxious laughter made by the girls while they were bullying their junior.

Sasuke's head snapped towards him, eyes flaring slightly. "Do you even _know_ the reason why they started to bully her?"

Naruto was taken aback. "...What?"

"At first it was just teasing. Taunting. About her forehead. They didn't hurt her the slightest back then." Sasuke frowned. "But after we hung out with her at the festival, they began treating her harshly, telling her that she doesn't have the right to get all chummy with the Hokage's son and the Uchiha Clan Head's youngest."

"Then are you saying that we should do _nothing_ at all?!" Naruto demanded. "Sakura-chan's our _friend,_ Sasuke!"

"Like I said, you numbskull, it _isn't_ that simple!"

 _"Bullshit!_ You're just too afraid to help her! What's stopping you, you chicken?!"

"What!? _You—"_

"What the _hell_ is going on here?!" a new voice said angrily.

Naruto and Sasuke immediately stopped their arguing and turned their heads to look at the newcomer.

It was the Yamanaka girl who was skeptical at Naruto earlier in class. She was standing behind the bullies, her hand on her hip and her aura intimidating.

Sakura slowly eased her arms from their defensive position across her face and stared at her rescuer.

 _"I—Ino!"_ Ami exclaimed in surprise, a hint of fear lacing her tone.

Ino narrowed her eyes at her. _"Really,_ Ami? You'd stoop this low?"

"H—Hey, Ino!" one of Ami's friends interjected, pointing at Sakura accusingly. "This girl shamelessly hung out with Sasuke-kun at the festival! Aren't you mad at her, too?!"

"Of course I'm mad!" Ino said, pouting.

Sakura's trembling came back, her hope diminished.

"I'm mad, but I don't like the way you're treating her because of it," Ino continued on, stepping forward almost threateningly. "I'm mad, but I'm going to treat her as competition. I'm not going to bully her like you cowards do."

Ami and her friends were slowly, unconsciously backing away from the famous Yamanaka Clan Head's daughter. However, at that last statement, the blaze in Ami's eyes returned.

_"Cowards?!"_

"Are you all so insecure of yourselves?" Ino continued on, blatantly ignoring Ami's outrage. "Is that what you all want to show Sasuke-kun? That you'd _willingly_ hurt a girl younger than you? As our seniors, as future kunoichis..." Ino glared at them, further increasing her intimidation factor. "...you are an _embarrassment."_

The realization dawned upon them in only a few moments, but since they had a little pride left, they glared at Ino briefly before stalking off.

Ino watched their retreating backs with a scoff. "And they call themselves future ninjas," she muttered to herself. She turned towards Sakura, who was looking at her with an expression indicating that she was still unsure if Ino was on her side or not.

"And _you,"_ she said, causing Sakura to flinch reflexively, "why didn't you fight back?!"

Sakura's eyes were as wide as saucers. "I... I..."

"Don't stutter," Ino snapped. "It's unbecoming of a lady." She walked towards Sakura and lifted her bangs from her face. "Hmm. It really _is_ as big as they say." She gazed at Sakura in the eyes. "It's because you hide it that makes them taunt you more. You should show it off, you know."

"...Why... are you helping me...?" Sakura said in a voice that was so small that it was almost a whisper.

Ino raised an elegant eyebrow. "Is it wrong to help someone in need?"

Sakura immediately looked flustered. "N—No, that isn't what I meant..."

Ino poked her on the forehead almost forcefully, causing Sakura to wince as her head jolted backwards from the impact.

"Then just be grateful and say ' _thank you_ ', Forehead Girl."

* * *

• • •

* * *

Naruto and Sasuke were already walking away from the scene, the latter's hands inside his pockets while the former's hands were situated behind his head, serving as a makeshift cushion.

"Looks like that Yamanaka girl ain't so bad after all," Naruto mused with a grin. "We didn't have to do anything at all, eh, Sasuke?"

Sasuke remained silent, yet stopping in the middle of the streets to look at the sun which was dipping low into the mountains, the sky painted with pastel oranges and yellows and reds. The wind blew his dark tresses softly, and he closed his eyes in a moment of tranquility.

Naruto stopped walking as well to look at his friend. "Sasuke?"

"...Naruto," Sasuke said in a voice that was almost soft. "I..."

Naruto frowned. "What is it?"

There was silence for a moment before Sasuke finally spoke.

"Don't you... _remember_ anything?"

* * *

**end of volume 01**

 


	5. Intermission 02

Nostalgia, Regrets, and Realizations

* * *

_"Nii-san."_

_Itachi turned his head towards his little brother who he was giving a piggyback ride. He and Sasuke had been training with shurikens in the forest, the latter having twisted his ankle after accidentally tripping on a rock. Needless to say, Itachi was amused that Sasuke had looked so much like his favourite food at that moment._

_"Yes, Sasuke?"_

_"...Why are there wars?"_

_Itachi stopped in his tracks. Surely it was not the normal question five-year-olds were supposed to ask? Unlike him, Sasuke hadn't seen war yet. Hadn't experienced the danger, the loss, the hardships, the mercilessness... Not like Itachi had._

_So what brought up this question?_

_"Why do you ask, Sasuke?"_

_Sasuke seemed to be in deep contemplation, which was another thing Itachi became suspicious of. Boys of Sasuke's age and a bit above were usually only interested in either school, training, goofing off, or even girls to a small extent. No child normally asked about war. War was mostly the epitome of destruction, after all. It was something that the adults dismissed from young children's minds so as to not traumatize them from the get-go and allow them to experience the real world on their own, in their own pace._

_But Sasuke, who was only five-years-old, had something in his eyes that spoke of a depth, of some kind of forced maturity that someone of his age should not have yet._

_Itachi chose to entertain his little brother's question._

_"There are different reasons on why war exists," Itachi said slowly. "It may be because there is a need for power, or there is a need for vengeance. It can also be because there is greed, and even because of the desire for peace. Ultimately, it all leads to an end result: the cycle of hatred will never stop lest the people stop trying to overcome each other through force."_

_Sasuke was quiet for a moment. "Nii-san..." This time his voice sounded uneasy. "You... have seen war before, haven't you?"_

_"...Yes. It is why I desire peace." Itachi gave him a small smile. "If only the five nations would become allies..."_

_Sasuke peered at his older brother's face. "...Why does a village exist, nii-san?"_

_Itachi sent his little brother a small smile, albeit with a hint of amusement to it. "What's with these questions, Sasuke?"_

_Sasuke's face turned red. "J—Just answer me, nii-san!" he said immediately, trying to hide his embarrassed face._

_It had been years since he'd seen that expression on Itachi's face._ _Too_ _long, in fact, which made Sasuke's heart clench in nostalgia and happiness._

_"Well..." Itachi was thoughtful for a moment. "I would say that a village is created for its people."_

_Sasuke frowned. "For its..._  people...?"

_Itachi nodded. "The people are what constitute a village, Sasuke. It is made to protect those who cannot protect themselves. It is also one of the prime reasons why we ninjas exist; it is to protect those who are dear to us_ _and_ _also the civilians."_

_"Why should we protect the civilians, though?"_

_"You know the answer to that. The civilians are mostly the ones who run the stores, the restaurants, teahouses, and all the other community shops out there. Nevertheless, they make up a village along with us ninjas. We shinobi are ideally intended for the protection of every generation, especially the future ones. If we don't cherish people, what will become of their future? If we don't cherish a village, where will we go? You may not understand it yet since you're too young, but you will understand more than I do when you grow older." Itachi's smile was warm and heartbreaking at the same time. "Someday, I truly wish you will find peace as great as I've always believed it is."_

* * *

• • •

* * *

That conversation happened a week ago, and Itachi's words had been reverberating in Sasuke's head ever since. Itachi was obviously a pacifist and loved the village so much that he even endured the pain of massacring his entire clan for the sake of preventing a civil war. Sasuke, on the other hand, wasn't so sure about  _his_  own motivation. He wasn't purely like Itachi, and he wasn't even like  _Naruto._  He had gone through the path of darkness by himself, only being driven by either hate, vengeance, or by others' influence. He was like a blank canvas, easily painted on by different colours. Sometimes, he wasn't even sure who he  _was_  anymore. It was like, in a way, he was a mere underling, only following someone else's orders and making those a basis for his goals. He was nothing without someone telling him what to do. He was living by himself, building a wall of figurative lies.

Who was he, a mere canvas, without a painter?

He recalled the time he remembered everything, which happened about two weeks ago.

* * *

• • •

* * *

_He woke up and reeled backwards into the headboard._

_He clutched his head painfully, screaming as millions — no, it seemed like_  billions _— of scenes, of memories, of snapshots and clutters flashed inside his mind, rolling one by one over and over for somewhat like an eternity. He screamed in anguish at the overload in his brain._

_There were hurried, frantic footsteps before the door slammed open, revealing two panting figures._

_Itachi had already poofed by his brother's side and tentatively reached out towards the shaking child. "...Sasuke?" he said softly._

_But Sasuke could not hear him. He was still holding his head, willing the pain to go away._

_"Itachi! What's wrong with him?!" Mikoto gasped, running towards her son's side and holding him protectively to her chest._

_"What has happened here?" Fugaku demanded, going to his eldest's side._

_Itachi shook his head, faint confusion swirling in his eyes. "I have no idea, father. There is no sign of someone who broke in. Perhaps... Sasuke is having a nightmare."_

_Fugaku frowned. "A nightmare...?_  This _intense?"_

_Sasuke heard painfully familiar voices and he forced himself to open his eyes. His head was still reeling from the backlash of memories, but as time passed, the pain receded, allowing his mind to breathe slowly._

_Sasuke's eyes flashed open wide as he recognized the three figures before him. Mikoto was holding him to her, but she loosened her hold the moment she saw his eyes creaking open, causing her to position him in such wherein he could see all three of their worried faces in the range of his vision._

_Funny, he didn't think he had ever seen his father have even the faintest worry on his expression when it came to him. Fugaku had always seemed so strong and unbreakable in terms of personality, so this was a first. Mikoto, on the other hand, was a soft, pleasant woman. The genuine worry on her face was enough to make Sasuke breathe reassuringly._

_But it was Itachi's face that broke him the most. That had his breath caught up in his throat. The disarming concern on his brother's face, that familiar soft look in his eyes..._

_Sasuke blinked back tears, now seeing his whole family for the first time, albeit since he was 'awakened'._

_It came like a tumbling rollercoaster ride. The greatest burst of happiness and love swelled up in his chest, causing him to stop breathing momentarily. It was as if every positive emotion and some negative and neutral ones were piling up one by one inside him, and he trembled once more._

_The pain in his head was now completely forgotten._

_Fugaku and Itachi's eyes widened. Mikoto gasped._

_"Sasuke," Itachi said, a rare note of shock in his face._

_The familiar blood-red dōjutsu of their clan now gleamed in Sasuke's eyes while the tears blurred it slightly, though there was no mistaking the three distinct markings — tomoe — on them._

Three _tomoes._

 _Sasuke hugged his mother tightly, earning him a surprised_  'oomph!' _from her lips._

_Photographic memory._

_It truly was the happiest moment of his life._

* * *

• • •

* * *

Sasuke smiled inconspicuously as he sat before the table, watching his mother cook dinner. What she was doing was mere routine, yet it felt free and tantalizing to look at her. The happiness bubbling inside his chest still seemed surreal somehow, as if he was living in a dream.

But this couldn't possibly be an illusion, right?

"Sasuke." Itachi's voice was warm and conversational as he took his seat before his little brother. "You're starting the Academy next week, right?"

Sasuke immediately snapped to attention. "Yeah," he replied with a soft smile. "I'm… excited."

That meant seeing… his teammates again. Granted, he had already spent time with them back at the festival, but seeing them once more with his awakened memories was far more special. However, there was also a deep hesitance bordering in the back of his mind. He did not forget about his plans after they defeated Kaguya, that he would become the ruler of the village, becoming the person everyone would hate and unite against.

That he had initially planned to be alone once again. That he needed to sever his bonds with Team 7 before carrying out his goal.

But…

Would any of that matter now…?

He remembered his own words, especially the desperation mixed with hurt and longing as well as deep-seated rage in his voice, back when Team 7 had another one of their reunions. Back when he was plunged deep into his own darkness, into the abysmal curse of hatred that resided in his clan. That he would stop everything if his family were alive.

And now it really happened.

What was he going to do now?

Was this  _really_  a time travel phenomenon he stumbled in?

He didn't remember even  _planning_  to go back in time in the first place. It was an unprecedented technique after all, and it was never used in the entire history of shinobi.

However, it may still be a possibility. After all, he only retrieved his memories just recently. Who was to say that he wouldn't gradually remember how he got back in time?

"...Sasuke?"

Itachi's voice snapped him out of his thoughts. Sasuke immediately turned to his brother, eyes wide in surprise.

"Y—Yeah…?"

Itachi looked concerned. "You were spaced out for a moment there. Are you all right?"

Sasuke blinked. "Uh… I guess I'm just looking forward to entering school," he covered up. "And I'm also happy because tou-san and kaa-san agreed to let me enroll early."

Itachi smiled in response. "Of course. You've shown talent in your skills as a ninja which qualifies you as an Academy student. You are also held in high regard by our clan due to you awakening three tomoes in your Sharingan by the age of five, something which has never happened before. You deserve it."

Sasuke blushed in embarrassment. It seemed that even though he hadn't regained his memories in the previous years, his body remembered the movements. However, since there was a stark contrast to fighting in a seventeen-year-old body compared to a three to five-year-old one, it was understandable that he didn't exceed in everything just yet. Interestingly, it seemed that parts of his power also came back with him as well, leading him to unlock up to three tomoes. On the other hand, it was good that he didn't awaken the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan, or even the  _Rinnegan,_  of all things. It would only make him turn out to be a tad suspicious.

It would be a quite possible benefit on his part, however, if he entered the Academy earlier. If he would just quickly rise up into the ranks and become someone who could handle himself as well as his opponents fairly easily, then it would make many of his goals a lot easier to achieve. Especially with the threat of the Akatsuki, Uchiha Madara, Uchiha Obito, and Ōtsutsuki Kaguya discreetly looming over their heads.

Sasuke thought of Naruto and hesitated. If he were completely honest with himself, there was no way that he could do everything by himself.

 _Hm..._  A small, serene smirk crossed Sasuke's features.  _Since when have I thought about protecting_  Konoha, _of all places?_

_That dobe must have a worse influence on me than I thought... and we haven't even gotten to our last fight yet._

_One that I planned would be our last..._

Sasuke felt that unbearably nagging hesitation at the back of his mind once more.

Was he still really going to go through with his beliefs?

Were the five villages really going to stay united if they had a common enemy?

What if he died?

Should he go and search for a way on how to become immortal?

Sasuke shook his unbelievable thoughts away.  _What am I thinking?_  he scolded himself.  _I'm starting to act... like..._

_Orochimaru..._

Sasuke took a deep breath and tried to clear his mind.  _What should I do...?_  He sent a furtive glance towards his brother, who caught his glimpse and smiled in response before going back to reading his scroll.  _Nii-san..._

Memories consequently sprang inside his mind, filling his head with sounds and images.

_"Revenge means everything to me. As long as I can have my revenge, I could care less what happens to me, or the whole world for that matter. For both Orochimaru and me, right now, killing Itachi would be impossible. But if I am able to accomplish my goals, through nothing more than offering Orochimaru this body of mine… than he can have my life, and my afterlife for that matter."_

_"I was so young... My only explanation was that it was all a horrible nightmare. I wanted to believe it wasn't real; That I was just trapped in someone's cruel genjutsu... But it_  did _happen! That was reality! My "eyes" are wide open now! My Sharingan sees right through your Genjutsu!"_

_"Saying I should follow in Itachi's footsteps is nothing but pretty words. It's nonsense meant for those who don't know hatred."_

_"I have closed my eyes long ago... my goal exists in the darkness."_

_"If anyone wants to deny my way of living, I'll kill everyone they ever cared about left and right! Maybe then, they'll understand... a little of my hatred."_

_"They're all laughing...they're all laughing it up, at the cost of Itachi's life! Cackling like fools in unison, with no idea of the price he paid! All I hear in your laughter now is scorn and ridicule! But I'll change it... I'll turn your laughter into screams of **anguish**!"_

_"Naruto... I told before... how can you... with no parents or siblings... possibly_  understand _me? You_  never _had anyone! So shut up, you outsider!"_

_"I guess anything I say now would be pointless… When I saw you… I decided to follow you here to confirm whether or not what Danzō and Tobi told me was true or not. But that wasn't the only reason… When I'm with you I remember the way it used to be. I remember time spent with the brother that I looked up to… that I loved. That's why… The closer I get to you… The more I'm able to recall what those days felt like… And the more I'm able to understand you. The more I'm able to hate Konoha for the suffering they put you through. In fact, it's becoming even stronger than before. I do understand what you want me to do. It's probably because you're my older brother that you feel the need to put me on the right path. But it's probably because I'm your younger brother that I'll never stop, no matter what you say. As you'll always exist to protect the village… so will I to destroy it. Goodbye… brother."_

_"I can forgive you… But I can_  never _forgive Konoha!"_

_"I'm going to the battlefield. I will not let this village... and my brother... be wasted!"_

_"Many things happened... But I decided to protect the village. And... I... will become_  Hokage."

_"If, as you said, the reason why Itachi couldn't kill me... was because my life was more precious than the village, then I feel similarly, that Itachi's life is more precious than Konoha. That's all."_

_"I will acknowledge that you are strong. Because.. you are someone who knows the same pain of loneliness that I do. And.. that pain makes a person stronger."_

_•••_

_Then, in a memory deep inside Itachi's heart..._

_"Itachi..." Fugaku closed his eyes. "Take care of Sasuke."_

_•••_

_Uchiha Madara, with his blood-red armor and eyes who had gone through pain that it dulled..._

_"When a man learns to love, he must bear the risk of hatred."_

_•••_

_Kakashi, with his trademark mask and his seemingly painful past..._

_"Sasuke, you're more than just your clan, you're more than just hatred. Look deep inside your heart once more."_

_"Those who break the rules are scum, that's true... but those who abandon their friends are_  worse _than scum."_

_•••_

_Sakura, with her tear-stained face and sincere voice..._

_"On that day, you taught me that solitude is painful! I understand that so well right now. I have family, and I have friends but if you're gone... To me... It will be the same as being alone."_

_"I... I love you with all my heart!.. If you were to stay here with me, there would be no regrets... because every day we'd do something fun, we'd be happy, I swear..! I would do_  anything _for you! So... please, just stay with me!"_

_•••_

_Naruto, with his unwavering faith and his heart painted with naivety..._

_"Sever it just like that, huh!? Then why do you even bother wearing that headband anymore?"_

_"How can someone who can't even save his friends become Hokage...? Isn't it so, Sasuke?"_

_"I_  won't _let Orochimaru have you! I will stop you even if I have to break_  every _bone in your body!"_

 _"If so, then why...?_  Why _didn't you kill me then?! Isn't that your way of breaking bonds?! Sasuke!"_

_"How can I become Hokage if can't even save one of my friends? What do you think, Sasuke?"_

_•••_

_And Itachi, his brother..._

_"Well..." Itachi was thoughtful for a moment. "I would say that a village is created for its people."_

_"If you want to kill me, despise me, hate me, and live in an unsightly way... Run, run and cling to your life, and then some day, when you have the same eyes as I do, come before me."_

_"You are weak. Why are you so weak? Because you lack... hatred."_

_Meeting Itachi again... and losing him once more..._

_"If I had been open with you from the start… and looked you straight in the eyes and told you the truth, then I wouldn't have had to stand before you, from above, as a failure, telling you all of this."_

_"So this time, I want to impart this truth to you… You don't even have to forgive me."_

_"And no matter what you do from here on out, know this…"_

_"I will love you always."_

_That painful, annoying, yet... loving poke on his forehead back in those days..._

_"Sorry, Sasuke... Maybe next time."_

_And Itachi after their last fight, his blood smeared on his face..._

_"I'm sorry, Sasuke..._

_There won't be a next time."_

* * *

• • •

* * *

"Don't you...  _remember_  anything?"

Naruto stared at him as if he were crazy. "Remember what?"

Sasuke looked positively uncertain now. "You... You really  _don't_  remember anything?"

Naruto huffed in irritation. "And I asked you what I'm  _supposed_  to remember, moron."

Sasuke sent him a blank glance. "That's  _my_  line,  _moron_." Before Naruto could retort in anger, he continued on, "I don't get it. You're  _supposed_  to remember. How else are..."

_...How else are the Fourth Hokage and your mother still alive?_

Naruto raised an eyebrow, now looking impatient. "How else  _what_? Just get to the point already, Sasuke! You're killing me here!"

 _Wait_... Sasuke's eyes widened fractionally as a possibility occurred to him.

_Could it be... The Kyūbi...?_

"Naruto," he said in a serious tone that made the blond-haired boy quiet for a moment, "you know about the creature inside you, don't you?"

Naruto's eyes widened in shock. A myriad of emotions passed his face, all with various levels of similarity of their own. There was indignation, fear, sadness, wonder, thoughtfulness, blankness, emptiness...

And then there was confusion. "How... How did you...?" Then  _denial._  "I don't know what you're talking about." Then  _anger._  "But even if I  _do_  have one inside it, what's it to you?"

And then the most shocking of all:  _fear_  mixed with defensiveness. "...You... What are you... going to do next...?" His arms reflexively came around himself. "Are you going to...  _taunt_ me...?"

Sasuke's eyes widened. Suddenly, Naruto, the proclaimed hero of the village, the one he considered his closest friend...

Uzumaki — No...  _Namikaze_  Naruto looked so much vulnerable than ever.

And Sasuke didn't like it.

Especially because of Naruto's slightly strange behaviour. It was as if he spun through different emotions at the same time, and it was a contradiction just as much as it was reasonable. It confused Sasuke a bit, especially because the fact about him being a jinchūriki isn't really a village secret now, but there was no denying that Naruto was going through his painful childhood once more. Even though it seemed tamer, it was a bit similar nonetheless.

 _Itachi..._ This  _is the village you want me to protect someday...?_

_The same village who can't even treat a kid right?_

_Bullshit._

"No, I..." Sasuke didn't quite know what to say to reassure him. Naruto usually put up a strong, competitive personality in front of him. He was full of weaknesses, but he never let those weaknesses bring him down. He was always determined to save him and beat some sense into him, just so he could come back to Konoha, back to their old team again.

Back to Team 7 again.

If Sasuke was again being truly honest with himself, he had actually been very close to staying in Konoha back then. He had just been about to stay for good, to forget his revenge, to forget the grudge he harboured for years against his beloved brother. He had become attached to them. He began to see Kakashi as a little more than a mentor, somewhat like a father-figure that he couldn't have the chance to have for long. He began to see Sakura as a little more than a mere teammate, like a true friend who would always do her best to protect him despite his outward indifference towards her obvious affections. And he also began to see Naruto as more than an annoying dead-last. He was the closest he had who could understand his pain. Of course, Naruto could not possibly  _fully_  understand him, but at least he knew most of the feeling, especially when it felt like the loss of something important to your heart. The pain of loneliness. The pain of heartbreak. The pain of rejection. All just in vastly different ways, yet having that slightly similar essence to them.

But Sasuke did not know how to deal with the Naruto of this time. He was too used to the headstrong ninja in his time who had already experienced maturity in his own way, who had already experienced so much, like Sasuke.  _This_  Naruto of the past was still far too innocent and vulnerable to pain.  _This_  Naruto could not understand him now, because this Naruto had  _parents_  now. He was no longer an orphan. He was no longer alone.

Sasuke was no longer alone, too, but there was still the matter of a coup d'état in his clan. He still wasn't sure if it would occur in this timeline or not because of the unexpected living of the Fourth Hokage. However, there was also the matter of Sasuke remembering everything that transpired in the war up to the point where they nearly beat Kaguya. Sasuke's mindset in the future was now incorporated into his past; his beliefs were a bit hard and confusing to let go of. Honestly, everything was still too much to swallow. He had to right himself in order to keep from falling. He had to be his own pillar for the moment in order to think rationally.

It would've probably been better if Kakashi and Sakura were here with him. That is,  _assuming_  they would also remember. So far, none of the two showed any sign of remembering, so Sasuke was forced to focus on the possibility that it was only  _him_  who travelled back in time at the moment.

He had been mostly hoping that  _Naruto_  would remember as well, but that was turning out to be a disappointment.

In truth, Sasuke was still unsure of handling all this alone. He had been hoping that at least Team 7 travelled back as well, given their unusual reactions when they encountered each other at the festival. But it looked like it was just his imagination.

Just mere wishful thinking.

( _He couldn't yet acknowledge the small, unconscious stirring in his heart that faintly spoke of wanting to make it up to them... and find redemption... together._ )

Naruto was glowering at him. "Why aren't you answering me?" His voice had a bit of a tremble to it now. "I... I always hear some villagers say that it's not something to show off, that I have no right to declare myself as a hero. And you've never asked me about it before! Not like the other kids! Were you hiding it all this time, waiting for this opportunity?!"

Sasuke clenched his jaw unconsciously. This was going to be difficult. Naruto seemed oddly unstable right now, and as much as Sasuke wanted to know why ( _because the picture didn't seem to fit_ ), he had to find out some answers first. "Would you let me speak to it for a moment?"

" _What_? Why?!"

" _Oi_ , Kyūbi!" Sasuke said in a louder voice, hoping that Kurama would hear him. "I need to talk to you for a moment!"

Naruto was about to reel back and protest when he was suddenly brought into his Inner World where the Kyūbi resided.

" _Na_  — I mean,  _brat,_  let me talk to the Uchiha kid for a second," Kurama said gruffly.

Naruto narrowed his eyes. "And why should I do that, ya crazy fox?!" He placed his hands on his hips, trying to look tough. "And you  _finally_  show yourself, huh!? You look pretty patheti..." He suddenly gulped when he realized the size of the creature before him, only just now grasping the great possibility that he could easily be stomped on by a simple swoosh of its paw. "...u—uh...  _powerful_ , I mean! Ehehehe,  _really_  powerful, dattebayo..." His voice trailed off and he squeaked when Kurama looked severely unimpressed by his display.

 _"H—Hey!"_  he immediately protested. "I was just tryin' to praise you! Ungrateful, stupid fox..." he muttered under his breath, feeling sorely offended.

Kurama twitched. He forgot just how annoying and childish Naruto was as a kid. Apparently, even with his parents now alive, he hadn't changed quite a bit.

It was actually amusing, though. That is, if the stupid kid wasn't hurling insults at him first.

"Allow me access to your body and mind.  _Or else_..." Kurama loomed over him as dangerously as he could, causing Naruto to gulp once more in terror. "...I will  _eat_  you. And I will  _enjoy_  it. I will sprinkle you with salt and pepper and make you a topping in my ramen."

Naruto's jaw dropped to the ground. "YOU HAVE RAMEN IN HERE?! That's  _AWESOME_! Where is it?! Wait, wait —  _NO_! I DON'T WANNA BE A TOPPING IN RAMEN!"

Kurama sweatdropped.  _You already are, though, in a sense... Your name_  is _Naruto, after all..._

_This kid is still an idiot. Heh. Glad to know that nothing has changed about him even though he doesn't remember._

"But I don't trust ya!" Naruto said stubbornly. "I mean, what if you gobble Sasuke up and make  _him_  a topping in ramen instead of me?! He ain't delicious, that's for sure!"

Kurama stared. "...And I suppose  _you_  would know what he tastes like?"

Naruto spluttered. "Wha —  _EW_! NO!  _YUCK_!"

Kurama sighed loudly. "Give me access  _NOW_ , Naruto. This is important."

"I know that your dinnertime is important, but I won't let ya eat Sasuke, dattebayo!" Naruto nodded to himself vigorously, obviously satisfied with his dedication. "He's my friend! My  _closest_  friend, in fact!"

Kurama peered at him curiously, now intrigued. "But you've only met him a few times. How can you say that he is your closest friend?"

Naruto scratched his head in response, looking a little puzzled. "Huh... That's right..."

Kurama decided to dwell in deeper. Perhaps he was on to something here. "You two have never even talked properly before. You don't know each other that well. That time in the festival was only three kids playing with each other for a short while."

"Hmm... That's right, that's right..." Naruto muttered with a few nods. But then he looked up at Kurama with a bright twinkle in his eyes. "Suddenly, I just thought of him like that. Sasuke is my closest friend. He and I have gone through a lot together, ya know!"

* * *

**tbc**

 


	6. Chapter 6

**VOLUME 02: GRADUALLY**

CHAPTER 2.1

* * *

"Thanks for walking me home, Ino-chan."

Ino gave her a wry smile. "No problem, Sakura. Just remember: we're rivals starting tomorrow for Sasuke-kun's love!"

Sakura watched Ino's retreating back, suddenly feeling very uncertain.

_Is it really necessary...? Can't we just become friends...?_

_But maybe Ino-chan just doesn't want to be friends with me..._

With that thought in mind, Sakura hung her head low and went inside her house.

After greeting her parents, ( _"Oh, Sakura! Why did you come home by yourself? I was just about to go pick you up! I know you're starting the Academy now, but you're still five, you know."_ ) she went to her room and laid on her head, staring at the ceiling.

She remembered the way she acted towards Naruto earlier and almost burst out crying again. Naruto didn't deserve her ignorance; he didn't do anything wrong, after all. But she had been scared; so scared that Ami and the others would pick on her even more if she talked to him. She couldn't even glance over towards Sasuke in class because she felt like Ami had eyes everywhere. Deep paranoia was rooted in her system and she couldn't let it go.

Of course, deep inside her, she didn't like being afraid all the time. She wanted to be able to stand up for herself, but she didn't know how. What was she supposed to do, anyway? Her parents brought her up to be polite, mild-mannered, delicate... They did not bring her up as a brute or some sort of war-freak individual. Kizashi always told her that the best way to handle conflicts was to ignore them while Mebuki opposed slightly, saying that the most preferable solution was to go to the one which provided the most peaceful result.

Sakura had to choose to stay quiet so as to not cause any more trouble.

But if it had already gone this far, was it still really worth it?

* * *

• • •

* * *

"You mean  _you_  don't know what's going on, either?"

Sasuke's statement was left hanging in the air for the briefest of moments before Kyūbi-Naruto shook his head.

"Like you, my memory is blank of what exactly happened in that climactic fight against Kaguya, especially since we Bijū were all inside her at that time." The Kyūbi's voice, a little gruff and lower than its vessel's, now sounded considerably subdued. "I suspect that time went back to the attack on Konoha just before Uchiha Obito could extract me from Uzumaki Kushina. There was a momentary blackout experience before my memories eventually came flowing in. I also suspect that the reason why I can remember is because we Bijū are not bound by the laws of time; we are a large part of chakra itself, thus the intended effect of time travel cannot do anything to us, like alter or erase the memories in our minds."

Sasuke still looked as puzzled as he could be. "...Then why do  _I_  remember? And why  _now_?"

Kurama shook his head once more. "I do not know. I have no awareness of what's going on. What I can hypothesize, however, is that if _I_  remember, then the other Bijū surely remember everything as well. Also, it is a big possibility that the four of you — or maybe even just  _one_  of you — turned back time, even though that's a huge stretch in itself. The performed time travel technique has already made its first ripples in the pond, not to mention that I willingly saved Naruto's parents from their destined deaths, so the future is not simply something we can predict now." Kurama's expression turned into that of deep contemplation. "I  _do_  wonder about one thing, though..."

Sasuke gave him a sidelong glance. "What is it?"

"...When I came to, I was already out of Kushina's body," Kurama recounted the events. "It was as if I was already extracted from her, yet she did not die. From what I heard, she did not even feel as if the extraction actually happened. I am thinking that it is because I am not actually a part of this timeline itself. And by that, it is understandable that I do not belong inside Kushina, therefore it would seem then that she was never a jinchūriki in the first place, which may be one of the contradictions in the time alteration. It will also explain the fact that I wasn't automatically inside Naruto as well because he has not travelled back in time. Though I would like to think that he has not yet travelled back."

Sasuke gave an almost imperceptible nod, absorbing the information inside his mind. "That is what I am hoping for as well."

Kurama glanced at him. "I suspected that you and Naruto have different beliefs to enact upon the world and that Naruto would not be particularly happy with it. I will ask you this now: will you still go on through with it?"

When Sasuke did not reply, Kurama went on, "I would rather prefer that you not. In this timeline, you have your family back now, do you not?"

"...Shut up." Sasuke turned his head away. "That's none of your business."

Kurama frowned. "It is not in my nature to make pointless small talk, anyway. I will give Naruto access back to his own body. Perhaps our next talk will happen soon."

The vibrant-red colour in Naruto's eyes began to fade.

"Oh, and Uchiha..." Kurama's tone was deceptively casual. "Naruto, before eventually giving me his body, told me something interesting..."

Sasuke didn't turn his head, but Kurama knew that he was listening judging by the immediate, miniscule tensing of his shoulders.

"That boy... He told me..." A soft smile played upon Kurama's (rather,  _Naruto's_ ) face. "That the two of you have gone through so much together. And that you are his closest friend."

That got a reaction out of Sasuke. Quickly, he turned around, his eyes wide in shock and disbelief.

Kyūbi-Naruto's face stared back at him, though the red in his eyes was almost gone now.

"Funny why someone who just met you a few times, someone who seemingly doesn't remember anything yet, would say something like that, don't you think?"

* * *

• • •

* * *

Sakura woke up early the next day, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. She almost had a full-blown nightmare last night if she didn't wake up just before she fell into lava.

Then, as a part of her early morning routine, she placed herself into a meditative stance, allowing her chakra to flow into her body in a smooth, seamless manner. She always did this in order to calm herself more; she suspected that this may or may not be the root cause of her split personality in the first place, though. However, meditating like this somehow granted her a more considerable chakra reserve, especially when she did it every day without fail or change in the routine. It also helped hone her chakra control even more, something that helped her in her shuriken and taijutsu practice at the Academy.

After meditating, Sakura took a deep breath and looked at herself in the mirror. She flinched as she spotted her forehead which looked large as usual in her eyes. Ino told her to show it off, but she couldn't quite find the courage to yet. Maybe someday, she would.

After eating breakfast and getting ready, she waved her parents goodbye and set off for the Academy.

She was walking leisurely on the familiar path when Ino suddenly came beside her, an almost predatory smirk on the pretty girl's face.

Sakura didn't like that look.

"Hey, Forehead Girl," Ino drawled. "Let's have a race! The one who gets to the Academy last gives up on Sasuke-kun!"

Sakura was taken aback. "Wh—Wha—"

Ino was already speeding ahead of her.

Sakura blinked, then, a fire of determination suddenly burning inside her, she followed suit, pumping chakra into her feet as she did so. Where this sudden competitiveness came from, she did not know, but she was determined to beat Ino at her own game.

Sasuke-kun would  _never_  be hers!

* * *

• • •

* * *

Sasuke arrived at the Academy thirty minutes early. Itachi had been about to go to the location of his mission when Sasuke instantly came to his side, asking that he drop him off on the way since Itachi was a little early.

Sasuke resisted the redness that threatened to creep up on his cheeks. Could anyone blame him, though? Everything —  _everything_  he had ever wanted was now here, right in front of his eyes. His family, the clan, his brother... They were alive here. And he was going to keep them alive no matter what. He just needed to have a plan about the probably impending coup that his father was about to lead back in his past.

Also...

He just wanted a little more time with his older brother.

And he'd be damned if he just let this golden opportunity pass him by.

_"No matter what you do from here on out, know this..."_

_Sasuke's eyes were still wide as Itachi touched his forehead with his own, a gentle smile on his face which he had always reserved for his little brother only._

_"...I will love you always."_

Sasuke would never,  _ever_  let Itachi suffer again.

"Agh! Stupid Forehead!" a high-pitched voice resounded in the hallways just outside the classroom door. "You _cheated_!"

"But you... Well, you never said we couldn't use chakra!"

" _That's it!_  I declare this match a  _draw!"_

The door slammed open at that moment to reveal two panting girls, one his former teammate and one the Yamanaka Clan Head's daughter.

Sasuke raised an eyebrow.  _What are they doing…?_

The moment the girls took notice of him, their cheeks turned pink.

"Sasuke-kun!" Ino greeted with a wide smile. "Good morning!"

Sakura, eyes wide and cheeks an adorable shade of pink, mumbled a ' _good morning_ ' as well.

Sasuke nodded imperceptibly in response, then turned his attention towards the window by his left.

 _Sakura._  It was a little complicated to describe what he actually felt about her. It was more of the friendship kind, but there was also something else mixed in that he couldn't quite put his finger on. However, the fact was that he regarded her as a teammate back then, one of his precious people. After all, she was one of the people who never gave up on him despite his shortcomings. Even though he almost killed her that one time, blinded by pure hatred and darkness, blinded by everything...

A pang of guilt entered his chest at the unpleasant memory. Now that he was back in the past, he had time to reflect upon himself. In his timeline, he had been planning to sever his bonds with Team 7, to be completely alone for the rest of his life, to prevent more wars from happening by becoming Hokage, which in his belief would be turning into the common enemy all of the villages would hate and would be the reason why they would stay unified. Peace was hard to attain; it was easy to say, easy to explain, easy to teach, easy to imagine... But it was definitely not easy to get. Not all people thought the same way, after all. There was a reason why a difference of opinions existed. There would always be no guarantee that all five villages would remain unified. Perhaps there would be another Madara, another Obito, even another Kaguya... You just couldn't ever tell. And that uncertainty should be properly erased.

But now Sasuke was starting to doubt his belief. Funny, he had been so focused on it, even planning to kill Naruto after sealing Kaguya just so he could proceed with this plan. But now that he had his family back, it was enough to bring reasonable doubts into his mind.

_"Nobody wants to be alone." Itachi's voice was soft and matter-of-fact. "No man is ever an island, Sasuke. Remember that."_

It was true now. Sasuke didn't want to be alone. He didn't  _ever_  want to be alone again. He didn't know if he could bear to lose his family and Itachi again for the second time... It would just break him.

For the first time, Sasuke felt that he was only human.

And humans always needed someone by their side.

And Team 7... Team 7 was like his second family.

Sasuke sent Sakura a sidelong glance. She was awfully quiet as she took a seat in the row in front of him, just by the window as well. He had forgotten how meek she was back then. No matter. She would grow to become a respectable kunoichi in the future, after all.

Sasuke hadn't wanted to help her from the bullies because he wanted her to stand up for herself. The Sakura he knew who had grown up considerably would never take that kind of damned treatment from anyone. But now,  _this_  Sakura was like a shadow of her future self. She was nothing like the Haruno Sakura who could create a gigantic crater in the middle of a battlefield, greatly reducing the number of enemies in the field.

But he was glad that Ino came to save her. He had actually been close to going towards her and talking to the bullies, but then Ino intervened. In truth, he felt that he didn't deserve to help her. Naruto was right, in all honesty. He was afraid. After all that he did to her... Did he still have the right?

* * *

• • •

* * *

"Oi, Naruto," Shikamaru called out as lunch period commenced, "what are you doing?"

Naruto chuckled conspiratorially as he searched the janitor's closet. "I've just thought of a great prank! C'mon, Shikamaru, help me out here!"

"What?" Shikamaru twitched. "No way. Ugh, what a drag…"

Chōji made an amused sound as he continued eating his chips. "Naruto's gonna get himself in trouble again…" he remarked lightly.

"That's not even surprising anymore," Shikamaru groaned, leading Chōji away.

When the free period ended, all the students shuffled back into the classroom, lively chatter filling the vicinity. Iruka was late, probably because he had something to do first before entering. Meanwhile, Naruto took advantage of the opportunity to organize some ropes by the door.

"What the heck are you doing?" Ino said, irritated as she placed a hand on her hip. "Are you going to play one of your stupid pranks again?"

"You know, at the rate you've been going recently," Kiba remarked with a taunting grin, "Iruka-sensei's becoming immune to your traps."

"Well, he won't be able to dodge  _this_  one!" Naruto said, laughing boisterously as he finished setting up. "This may be my  _greatest_  prank yet!"

"Hey, you're going to get us all in trouble," Ino accused.

"Hey, leave him be," Kiba said, mirth filling his tone. "This might be entertaining to watch."

Sasuke heaved a sigh.  _Same old class clown…_

Sakura, who was seated not too far away from him, sweatdropped. "Naruto…"

"Naruto-kun, you mustn't—" Lee began, about to admonish his classmate gently when the door suddenly opened.

Iruka's apologetic face showed up. "My, sorry about that, class. My colleague had a little trouble with—"

He never got to finish his sentence, for a large bucket filled with bright orange paint fell on his form, covering him with the obnoxious pastel colour.

But that wasn't all, unfortunately. Another bucket was triggered, decorating Iruka with large, sticky confetti that seemed like it was mixed with heavy, slippery oil.

" _HAHAHAHA!_ " Naruto had tears in his eyes as he rolled around the floor in laughter. "I—I—I'm gonna remember that look on your face forever, Iruka-sensei! HAHAHA!"

" _NARUTOOOOOOOOOOOOO!_ " Iruka hollered, enraged.

Kiba tried his best to suppress his chuckles. "Th—This is gold."

"Naruto-kun…" Hinata muttered, eyes wide and fearful.

Iruka chased after Naruto, the latter still laughing as he prepared to jump out of the window. However, the floor was apparently covered with a mixture of oil, confetti, and paint, so Iruka shrieked as he rolled over the floor and hit the wall.

" _YEAH!_ " Naruto cheered. Then, he glanced at his classmates mischievously.

Shikamaru knew that look. "Oh, no…" Dread pooled up in his stomach.

"Shikamaru?" Chōji inquired, confused.

But it was too late. Naruto pulled on a thin string, which looked barely perceptible among the dull brown wallpaper, and grinned.

Consequently, a series of traps were triggered. Apparently, there were well-concealed buckets above, made to imitate as mediocre parts of the ceiling. The string caused all of them to tip forward, spilling their contents onto the people below.

Everyone shrieked as they were covered in either paint, oil, confetti, or a mixture of all three. Ino screamed in rage as she strode over to where Naruto was, coated in heavy oil. Sakura, in spite of her fondness towards the blond-haired boy, momentarily and purposefully forgot their friendship, cracking her knuckles as she prepared a well-deserved payback for her paint-covered body.

Sasuke grunted in deep irritation as he felt the uncomfortable oil and confetti take refuge on his skin and clothes.  _I will kill that moron before this day is up…_  he promised to himself.

"…I thought so," muttered Shikamaru as he tried to camouflage himself into his seat, his hair and skin matted with bright orange and yellow colours.

"That  _idiot_! _"_  Kiba howled, trying to clean the oil off of Akamaru. "Hinata, you okay?"

Hinata nodded meekly, wincing at the creative curses Kiba muttered under his breath.

"Ugh… I hope this isn't permanent paint…" Tenten groaned.

"… _Namikaze… Naruto…!_ " Neji growled dangerously as he peeled off the sticky confetti from his face, swiftly activating his Byakugan.

About two or three Hyūgas and Uchihas in their class also activated their infamous dōjutsu, their auras radiating promise of a painful death.

"…This will not end peacefully," Chōji said, still protecting his bag of chips from the horrors of oil and paint.

Naruto, completely carefree and simply uncaring about his possible murderers, jumped out of the window, his laughter still echoing inside the classroom.

Then chaos ensued.

Almost every single person went outside, chasing after him fervidly. Poor Iruka was stomped on and forgotten on the floor.

"…We should take him to the infirmary." Shikamaru's voice resounded in the relatively empty classroom.

"…Yeah," Chōji echoed, feeling sorry for his teacher.

" _Naruto..._ " Iruka muttered weakly and vehemently, his eyes still slowly rolling to the back of his head. " _You... little..._ "

* * *

• • •

* * *

After class, Sakura sighed and packed her things into her bag, having finished cleaning herself up. They had not found Naruto, much to their dismay, since the little knucklehead was good at hiding himself, so they swore to get back at him first thing tomorrow.

Today, she planned on going to the library to research on chakra. Iruka told them earlier in the morning before that horrible afternoon incident that the assignment was due in two days, so now was the best time to start working on it.

She arrived at the public library without delay, immediately going over to the  _'CHAKRA'_  section. However, she seemed to have misdirected herself for she accidentally stumbled upon the  _'SEALS'_  section.

She was about to go back and retrace her steps when she suddenly spotted an interesting scroll.

"Byakugō no In..." she read off the label. "...Senju Tsunade...  _Huh?_ "

* * *

• • •

* * *

"Naruto, this is the  _second_  time this week!"

"But, kaa-chan!"

"No buts, young man! You may think you're a big badass now, but you're still five and starting your fourth month at the Academy!"

Minato opened the door at that moment and saw an argument between his wife and his son. Blinking in confusion, he asked, "What's going on?"

Kushina looked at her husband and sighed, a distinct tic mark on her forehead which indicated her irritation. "Minato, your son here insists that he go home by himself after classes!"

Naruto sent his father a pleading look. "Tou-chan, I can get home by myself! Kaa-chan doesn't need to pick me up!"

Kushina turned to him, furious. "And why not, young man?! You are still a child, ya know! And  _our_  child, at that! What if some bad men kidnap you again?!"

Naruto hung his head low. "But..."

He never told his parents about the verbal bullying of some of the villagers. He didn't want them to worry. And he knew that they would never let him go if they knew about it.

Minato went over to his son, placing a hand on the young boy's blond locks. "Naruto... Your mother has a point. If something ever happens to you... or if someone does anything bad to you... Well..."

"That person will  _die_  for even trying," Kushina muttered from the sidelines.

Minato sent her a look. "Anyway, Naruto," he began soothingly. "Your mother and I love you very much. You know that, don't you?"

Naruto still had his gaze to the floor. "Yeah..." His cheeks and ears were already blaring red from embarrassment.

Minato leaned in to whisper into his ear. "Just give in to your mother or she'll clobber us both. I really don't want to go to the office tomorrow with a black eye..."

Despite his embarrassed state, Naruto emitted a snicker. "Tou-chan, you're so whipped."

Kushina kneeled down to her son's height and started stretching his cheeks rather painfully. "I know you feel embarrassed, but I'm still picking you up whether you like it or not! Got that, mister?"

Naruto yelped. "Okay, okay!"

 _But..._  Naruto thought as his gaze rested upon his mother's angry face.  _It's not that I'm embarrassed..._

_It's more like... I'm not used to it... I'm... too used to being... alone..._

_...Huh?_

_Alone...?_

_How... When...?_

* * *

• • •

* * *

"All right. Today will be practice matches," Iruka announced, his eyes scanning the list of names which he prepared for the day. "Everyone get to the field now."

 _Practice matches?_  Sakura thought, feeling a small sense of dread seeping into her veins.  _I'm not very good at taijutsu..._

Naruto, who was walking behind her, grinned excitedly.  _Hah! This'll be a piece of cake!_

His promised death by his classmates was thankfully averted due to Iruka's firm announcement that they leave the matter alone. However, he emphasized long,  _grueling_  hours of community service for Naruto, causing the latter to groan yet become giddy at his luck.

When they arrived at said location, Iruka began to announce the first match.

"The first ones to go will be Lee and Neji."

Sasuke watched as the two boys went to the center and prepared their battle stances. Frankly, he had been very surprised at first that all three members of Team Gai were in the  _same_  class as him since they had graduated ahead of them in the past, therefore they were not a part of the Rookie 9. He had also been surprised that those same rookies were all  _still_  in the same class. His family had enrolled him in the Academy at  _this_  early an age since they noticed his prodigious talent ever since he was four...

But never had he expected that he would be in the same class as the Konoha 12.

What did this mean? Was this part of the ripples that were caused by the remembrance of Kurama ( _and possibly the other Bijū_ ) and the presences of the Fourth Hokage and his wife? But how could that be?

Perhaps this was even one of those time contradictions that Kurama mused about…

Sasuke had then decided that he would try to figure it out. Until then, he had to play along.

This was no illusion, anyway, just in case. The details were too intricate and too embodied to be fake. There was no way a person could conduct a technique of  _this_  great a level. Not to mention that his Rinnegan would automatically deflect and absolve any genjutsu coming his way, no doubt about it.

When his eyes surveyed the field, he saw that Lee was at a disadvantage. After all, Hyūga Neji was a prodigy. A genius. Naturally, he would smooth over the basics effortlessly. It would not even surprise Sasuke if he already knew genin to chūnin level taijutsu, even if still young. Lee, of course,  _could_  beat Neji, but his current level was not at that point just yet.

The sparring soon came to an end, with Neji as the winner.

"Next, Sakura and Ino."

Sakura jolted at the sound of her name being called, involuntarily glancing over towards her opponent. Ino sent her a self-satisfied smirk.

"Don't waste my time, Sakura~" she sing-songed.

Sakura's heart raced in anxiety and insecurity. Could she  _really_  do this? But wait — was she really  _serious_  in wanting to beat Ino? Yamanaka Ino  _was,_  after all, the top kunoichi in their class. She was fairly smart when it came to written tests, and she certainly had little to no problem when it came to shuriken and taijutsu practice. Not to mention that she also excelled at being a proper lady — she was at the top in their flower arranging class. She knew a lot about  _hanakotoba._

How could Sakura ever compare herself to someone so talented and beautiful?

" _Heads up!_ " was the only warning she got from Ino before the latter charged at her, her fists already ready to launch offensive strikes.

Sakura saw her coming but was a little too late to swing out of the way of her range, so she settled on blocking Ino's fists with her arms. However, the force of the other girl's proved to be too much; Sakura went stumbling backwards at every impact.

"C'mon, Forehead." Ino, who was standing before her with an unreadable expression on her face, rested her arms at her sides. "You can do better than that."

"I—I can't," Sakura whispered, trembling slightly. "I'm not very good at this."

Ino narrowed her eyes, then came at her again without a word.

This time, Sakura could clearly see Ino's fist sailing right at her face, and she knew that she had to act fast. She had to dodge it.

Her head told her to move away quickly.

However, her whole body reacted differently.

Without warning, as if reflexively, Sakura's hand enclosed around Ino's fist before it could even touch her face, instantly and effectively stopping the assault.

Ino's eyes widened at the sheer, unexpected grip Sakura was using.

Sakura, on the other hand, froze.

What... was she doing?

Sasuke's eyes snapped wide open.  _Could it be..?_

But then the moment was gone, and Ino used her other fist to punch Sakura's cheek, sending the latter flying.

"Winner, Ino."

While Sakura and Ino made the unison sign, the former rubbing her cheek and the latter staring at her, Sasuke's heart was racing slightly.

 _I thought I saw that familiar look in her eyes..._  he mused to himself.  _I thought she came back, too... But it was just my imagination..._

_Just a spur of the moment thing..._

"Next, Sasuke and Naruto." Iruka glowered at Naruto when he said the latter's name, apparently still sore about his infamous and latest prank. Naruto stuck his tongue out at him before facing Sasuke confidently.

It was almost as if fate was still bringing them together. Sasuke stood before Naruto, the latter already warming himself up to prepare for the incoming 'brawl'. Sasuke made it a point to observe Naruto as they now sparred, noting the latter's obvious impulsiveness as he tried to attempt multiple barrages of fists. However, Sasuke smoothly dodged every one of them, causing Naruto to huff in irritation.

 _He's not the future him yet,_  Sasuke reminded himself once more.  _He needs a little more time._

_Maybe._

Sasuke, for the life of him, couldn't figure out why he was hoping for his teammates to remember as well. For all he was, he could just lie back at the sidelines and observe more of his surroundings as he meticulously worked on an effective plan with various backups in the case that something went wrong.

But he still hoped.

And he didn't bother to know the reason why.

 _I'm getting attached again..._  Sasuke thought to himself, giving the smallest of his fond smiles.  _Honestly..._

He did not hesitate and sent Naruto flying on his back, signalling the end of the fight.

And this time, unlike in his past, he himself went over to Naruto and silently extended a hand towards him, no malice or condescension expressed from his form.

Naruto gave him a bright grin and accepted his help.

The unison sign they made seemed to be too blind-white beneath the sunlight.

* * *

**tbc**


	7. Chapter 7

CHAPTER 2.2

* * *

Naruto concealed himself the best as he could, his eyes sharp at every possible movement and his body tense and alert, ready to do his bidding. This was generally a D-Rank mission, yet it seemed more of an S-Rank than anything else.

 _Damn..._  he thought, a bead of cold sweat dropping down his brow.  _This is really,_  really _hard...!_

After a few minutes, the footsteps ceased, then seemed to be walking far away to the outside of the room.

Naruto's entire body went rigid. This was it! This was his chance!

Preparing a speedy runaway, he bolted out of the staircase and made a beeline for the front door.

Then a prompt, loud cough came from behind him.

"Naruto..." The voice was sickly sweet, yet it had an unmistakably menacing underlying tone to it, sending chills down Naruto's spine. "...Just  _where_  do you think you're going without even eating breakfast, mister...?"

Naruto swallowed heavily. "K—Kaa-chan..." he whimpered in extreme fright.

Kushina, who was standing behind him, had a sugary smile on her lips. However, her eyes were now completely enveloped in bright yellow, shimmering dangerously and evilly. Her bright red hair was hovering upwards by the tips, making her aura even more terrifying.

"You thought you could escape from me, eh...?" Her smile grew wider, increasing her scariness factor.

Naruto exploded. "I'M SORRY, KAA-CHAN!" he shouted quickly and promptly disappeared in a puff of smoke, further enraging Kushina.

" _NARUTOOOOOOOOOO!_  YOU ARE SO  _DEAD_  WHEN I GO TO YOUR GRADUATION CEREMONY LATER!"

Meanwhile, in the Hokage Tower, Minato stopped in the middle of organizing the paperwork.

"I thought I hear Kushina yell at Naruto again... Hmm. Probably just my imagination."

* * *

• • •

* * *

"I'm off, kaa-san, tou-san," Sasuke said in polite dismissal before going towards the front door.

"Have a nice day, Sasuke," Mikoto said with a gentle smile.

Sasuke was already out of the house, but the softest of smiles was playing on his lips.

* * *

• • •

* * *

Sakura walked towards the direction of the Academy, her mind wandering on pleasant things.

She had not expected to graduate the Academy in just  _two_  years. Actually, even  _Iruka_  did not expect that the twelve of them  _all_  graduated at the  _same_  time.

It was a surreal feeling to be a part of those twelve promising graduates.

In all honesty, Sakura thought that she was going to graduate a little behind her peers. However, she started to notice that she was getting better at taijutsu and that her chakra reserves were not exactly as small as she initially thought. In fact, she seemed to have a fairly good amount of them, leaving her to wonder why. She didn't exactly have the greatest of talents — probably her only good point was her excellent chakra control — but that was just about it. She had no clan, she was an average girl trying out as a kunoichi...

Though she had to admit that her book-smarts played a big role in her graduation.

Her hand lifted to her forehead only to be blocked by a considerable amount of hair. She had grown her bangs and trimmed them properly so that it would completely cover her forehead, leaving no skin in sight. Her bangs even covered her eyebrows.

Her hair was already long enough to reach her waist. Sakura felt a little bit more confident this way. At least she felt feminine enough about herself and covered the aspect of her embarrassment. She wasn't courageous enough yet to show it off, just like Ino encouraged her to a few times now, but Sakura believed that the time would come someday.

Just not now.

* * *

• • •

* * *

"Congratulations, all of you." Iruka's voice was coloured with pride and awe as he looked at his former students, now all wearing a Konoha headband. "You twelve are already hailed as the talented generation since you graduated along with the others who had been at the Academy for more than four years now. Based on your scores and practical exams, you have all passed  _above_  average. I am very proud to have taught you all well. The world of the shinobi is a difficult one, and the road is rocky. However, you can conquer it, achieve your dreams, and find your own path." He lifted the clipboard he was holding, his smile never fading. "I will announce the teams which you will be in tomorrow morning. You can now go and celebrate with your families.  _Congratulations_!"

Children swept past the doors, excited to show off their new positions as genins. Naruto fled out of the Academy, searching for his mother. When he spotted her in the middle of the crowd, her bright red hair conspicuous among the different shades of black, brown, and yellow, he ran over to her, his grin reaching his ears.

" _Kaa-chan!_ " he called out, catching her attention as he neared.

Kushina turned around, her dim-purple eyes wide in pleasant surprise. "Naruto!" she exclaimed, opening her arms for an embrace.

Naruto happily let himself crash into her chest, savouring the way her arms wrapped around his back. Kushina pressed her son closer to her, feeling a deep-seated pride.

"Congratulations, my big boy!" she said cheerfully. "I have a surprise for you!"

Naruto craned his neck upwards, excited anticipation shooting inside him. "A surprise? What is it?!"

Kushina grinned. "Look to your left."

Naruto blinked in momentary confusion. "To my…  _left_?" Nevertheless, he did as his mother told him, turning his head towards said direction.

And what greeted his eyes was the sight of his father, dressed in his Hokage robes, smiling at him warmly. Naruto felt his heart skip a beat. Here was his busy father, finding the time to attend his graduation ceremony.

Naruto choked up inside. Suddenly, a burst of happiness flooded his chest down to every vein in his body. He was  _so_  happy that he couldn't breathe for a short moment, and all in his mind was that he was so lucky to have parents like this.

So  _lucky…_  that he wasn't…  _alone_  anymore…

_Not alone…_

"Congratulations, Naruto," Minato said, moving towards his wife and son. Some of the people on the crowd stopped to stare at him in awe, parting to give way to their Hokage as he passed.

" _Tou-chan!_ " Naruto exclaimed, running over to his father and crashing into him, squeezing his waist.

" _Oof!_ " Minato stumbled a bit, but held himself in place as he reciprocated his son's rather forceful embrace. "You've certainly gotten stronger, haven't you, Naruto?" he chuckled, ruffling his son's unruly locks.

"He's really happy you're here," Kushina said, coming beside him. "I'm glad you found the time."

Minato smiled at her, diffusing his usual comfortable air of congeniality. "I wouldn't miss this for the world."

* * *

• • •

* * *

"That looks like a happy family," Mikoto mused with a secret smile, glancing over to Minato, Kushina, and Naruto.

Itachi, who was standing beside her, frowned minimally. "About Naruto…?"

"Yes... Being the Kyūbi's vessel, it must be difficult for him... I'm sure you've only just heard about the awful rumours slowly spreading around the village," Mikoto said, her tone instantly turning somber. "He's not dangerous like some people say. Don't  _ever_  believe them, Itachi. I am not sure if Kushina and Minato know about this, but I won't stand for Naruto being treated in a horrible way."

Itachi glanced at her. "I understand." He turned his head, spotting something. "Sasuke's coming."

Mikoto followed his gaze, a smile breaking out from her lips. " _Sasuke!_  Over here!"

"Kaa-san, nii-san," Sasuke greeted, panting slightly as he came to a stop before them. "Where's tou-san?"

"Your father's just running a little late, but he's already on his way here," Mikoto assured him, pulling him into an embrace. "Congratulations, Sasuke. Your father, brother, and I am very proud of you."

Sasuke gulped, feeling overwhelmed, and hid his red face from his family by sinking into his mother, revelling in pleasant feelings.

Itachi watched his little brother with a smile on his face. "You may be able to surpass me yet, otouto," he teased lightly.

* * *

• • •

* * *

Sakura beamed as she was congratulated by her parents, feeling pride in her accomplishment. She could feel her confidence growing steadily; she was already starting to express how she felt for Sasuke, and she hoped that he would eventually feel the same way. She liked him so much for a reason she could not fully understand, only that she marveled at his skills, his looks, and his…

_His eye, so red. His other eye, enveloped in purple. His eyes are like an assortment of swirls, pulling her in… destroying anything with ease…_

Sakura swung back to the present, her mind reeling from the brief imagery. What was that? What was it trying to tell her?

Suddenly, her world turned hazy. Sakura's eyes darted around in confusion and panic, seeing people's lips move slowly and hearing sounds come out of their mouths. She felt a mild dizziness overtaking her head, but she shook it away, focusing on her surroundings.

"I feel sorry for the Hokage and his wife," a woman said not too far away from where Sakura was standing. "To have a demon kid like that… it must be terrible."

Sakura's breath caught up in her throat.

"They  _must_  be keeping up appearances," a man mused beside her. "They  _can't_  be happy with a dangerous monster lurking inside their son."

"The Kyūbi was truly frightening… It stood over the village, thinking about its next move… If Yondaime-sama hadn't been there to confront it the moment it appeared, we would've all been dead by the next minutes…"

"Isn't that boy dangerous, then?"

" _Yes_ , he  _is_! However, his parents are the Hokage and an elite jōnin… We can't do anything about it… and most of the people regard the boy as a hero, just as the Hokage announced him to be. But they must be crazy…"

"Speaking of parents, that poor Uchiha boy… Looks like his father, the Uchiha Clan Head himself, didn't even bother to come…"

Sakura suddenly had trouble breathing. Her slight dizziness had already faded, now replaced by an unknown fear. What were they talking about?  _What_  demon kid? Did they mean  _Naruto_? But Naruto was so friendly and sweet, even though he did love to play pranks sometimes just to irritate Iruka-sensei…

But a  _demon_? No, it couldn't be…

And why were they talking about Sasuke like that?

"Sakura? Aren't you coming?" Mebuki called out, she and Kizashi already walking towards the direction of their house.

Sakura snapped out of her thoughts, running towards them. "I'm coming!" she called out.

But she couldn't resist sneaking glances towards Naruto and Sasuke.

The former was happily taking a picture with his parents, a beaming smile on his face. His mother said something to him, and he looked like he flinched, making an attempt to run away. His momentary effort was vanquished, however, by Kushina as she grabbed him by the collar of his shirt, an eerily evil smile on her face. She dragged her son away, Naruto screaming along the lines of " _I'm sorry, kaa-chan! I'll eat breakfast everyday from now on! Please don't kill me!_ " and Minato, the Fourth Hokage himself, trailed behind them as he wore an embarrassed, sheepish smile on his face, apologizing to the people he passed for the ruckus.

Sasuke, on the other hand, looked fairly happy. He was talking to his mother and brother, apparently in the middle of telling them an event. The three of them did not notice Fugaku walking towards them until he said something behind their backs. Mikoto comically jolted in place in surprise, Sasuke's eyes humorously widened into the size of saucers, and Itachi's lips formed into a small 'o', although his expression was a very literal pokerface.

Sakura turned away, her heart twisting slightly. Why? They were both happy families, she could clearly see that, but people were saying otherwise.

 _What_  was the truth?

* * *

• • •

* * *

"Now I will announce the teams."

Naruto listened in anticipation, waiting for his name to be called.

Sakura waited patiently, stealing glances at Sasuke who was sitting beside her.

Sasuke laid his chin on the back of his palms, his arms propped by the elbow on the table, listening as Iruka called out the members of Team Six. There was no telling what would happen now.

"Team 7. Namikaze Naruto."

Naruto whooped with glee as his name was called.

"Haruno Sakura."

Sakura froze.

"Uchiha Sasuke."

Sasuke stiffened.

What were the odds of being placed in yet the same team again, with the  _exact_  same team name? The probability was supposed to be low, given the fact that this was a  _different_  graduation timeline.

Yet, they were  _still_  on the same team.

Fate truly worked in mysterious ways.

Sasuke hid a secret smirk and turned his head to face his teammates. To be honest, though, he hadn't really been worried. It was as if he  _knew_  that the three of them would still be together again, no matter what the circumstances.

His eyes, however, were greeted by their frozen, surprised faces.

Sasuke raised an eyebrow. In the past, Naruto had mixed feelings: he was happy because he and the girl he liked were in the same team, yet he was angry because he was on the same team with Sasuke. Sakura was the same as well, irritated that she was placed with Naruto, and excited that she was with Sasuke.

Never had Sasuke expected their current unusual expressions.

At that moment, Naruto turned to Sakura. Sakura turned to Sasuke. Sasuke turned his head towards the two of them, still perplexed.

_What's the matter with them…?_

Team 7 were eventually the only ones left in the classroom. Naruto and Sakura were at the front row table, sitting beside each other, wearing identical expressions of confusion. Sasuke, on the other hand, remained in his seat by the window in the second-to-the-last row. He furtively glanced towards his teammates, wondering what was bothering them. For a moment, a thought struck him. What if this time, they didn't want to  _be_  with him on the same team? What if a time contradiction occurred yet again, thereby twisting their personalities a little to make them not favour him as much as they did before?

Was  _that_  it? Were they unhappy because  _he_  was with them? After all, they seemingly only reacted that way after Iruka called out his name.

It didn't even occur to Sasuke how uncharacteristic he was being right now. Back in the future, he would've scoffed and didn't give a damn. But now, his walls were slowly being melted, and he didn't exactly like the feeling.

However, he didn't really hate it, either.

 _Great. Now I'm overthinking_ , Sasuke thought to himself grumpily.  _What am I so worried about, anyway?_

_That they'd completely forget about me? About everything we experienced together?_

_...Tch._

The door opened at that moment, revealing a familiar face. Sasuke almost jolted out of his seat at the sigh of Kakashi sauntering casually into the room, surveying his team. Sasuke stared at him, looking for clues in his face. As to what exactly he was looking for, he didn't know.

"Ah, sorry I'm late," Kakashi said in that usual nonchalant tone of his.

 _...Late? Damn. I was so engrossed in my thoughts that I didn't even notice the time._  Sasuke slowly stood up.

"My first impression of you all is... Well..." Kakashi took another look at his students.

Naruto looked to be deep in thought. Sakura looked like she couldn't quite get what she was thinking of.

Sasuke was standing up, his expression completely blank; completely devoid of all emotion.

Kakashi sighed. "Weirdos," he remarked. "Meet me at the bridge near the training grounds after lunchtime. See you all there."

He disappeared with a poof.

Sasuke was still a little puzzled by the unusual tension in the room.

"I..." Naruto's voice echoed among the walls. "Have you guys felt anything...  _weird_  earlier?"

Sasuke raised an eyebrow in question when Sakura jolted instantly from her seat.

"N—No," she said almost immediately, almost reflexively.

"Something weird?" Sasuke inquired curiously, folding his arms across his chest.

Naruto, uncharacteristically, said nothing. However, he stared at Sasuke, his gaze intense as if he were scrutinizing something puzzling.

"You..." Naruto began. "You, me, and Sakura-chan... We're..."

"What's going on?" Sakura suddenly interrupted. Though with her glazed-over eyes, it was obvious that she had been in deep thought before unconsciously blurting out what was bothering her.

"We're... Huh..." Naruto's face scrunched up in thought. "That's weird. I don't remember all of a sudden. Sakura-chan, do you have any idea — ?"

Sakura slowly shook her head. "I...  _Oh._  I... feel like I blacked out." Her gaze was now astonishingly clear, free from the cloudy haze it had been in mere moments ago. "What were we doing...? Oh,  _Sasuke-kun_!" Her eyes sparkled in excitement. "Would you like to have lunch with me? Oh! As teammates, of course..." She looked at him rather shyly, a blush blossoming her cheeks. She felt a lot more confident now than before.

 _Ha! Take_  that, _Ino!_

"Hey, hey! Why aren't _I_  invited?!" Naruto complained.

Sakura sent him a death glare. "Because I didn't ask  _you_ , idiot."

Ignoring Naruto's sullen reaction, Sasuke moved to Sakura's side, his eyes narrowing as his face came closing in on hers, their distance only about mere centimeters apart.

"Blacked out? What exactly did you mean by that?" he demanded.

Sakura's cheeks flared a bright red at their proximity. "U—Umm... I—I—I felt like something familiar was going on, but I can't remember it now..."

Sasuke's eyes widened.

Did he dare? Hope was a cruel thing, after all, especially if it disappointed you in the end. And in this case, if he hoped that what he was thinking about right now was, in fact,  _true,_  and what awaited him in the end was a pile of misunderstandings, then it would not sit well with him. Not to mention that this timeline would be wracked with chaos if he made the wrong decision.

Sakura's blush faded as she assessed Sasuke's unusual reaction. "...Sasuke-kun? What's wrong?"

Naruto, who was looking a little confused, peered at Sasuke as well. "Eh? Something the matter with the bastard?"

Sakura's head creaked towards him, her eyes glinting a dangerous red. " _What_  did you just call him, Naruto...?" she growled, apparently still reminded of his stupid prank.

While Naruto and Sakura were bickering (or rather, onesidedly), Sasuke was still deep in thought. Should he gamble on this? Besides, he  _did_  feel like he couldn't do anything alone. Despite his initial plan to become the Hokage so that all the villages would have the same common enemy, it would not work in this timeline. The villages were not allied as one yet; this timeline held the past feelings of greed, betrayal, independence, and the emotionless belief as mere soldiers. In this timeline, there was a lot to work on again, a lot to fix. In this timeline, they were given a chance to set things right. In this timeline, he had his family back, even  _Itachi._  That was enough reason for him.

The Curse of Hatred... Maybe if his teammates... If Naruto were to come back as well... If Sakura and Kakashi came along, even...

Maybe, just maybe... He would  _finally_  erase that dreaded curse of his clan. He would finally be able to embrace love and do away with the unnecessary hatred.

Funny, he never thought that he would gamble on  _Naruto,_  of all people.

They hadn't even had their final fight yet and he was already warming up to the guy.

To hell with disappointment.

Team 7, especially Naruto, spent most of their time trying to save him even though it had seemed that he was unredeemable.

 _This_  time, ironically, he was going to be the one to support them.

Just as they always supported him.

 _Naruto, Sakura, Kakashi..._  Sasuke thought as he glanced at his teammates.

_I don't think I'll ever regret this gamble._

* * *

• • •

* * *

"All right. State your name, hobbies, likes, dislikes, and goals," Kakashi said lazily, his eyes fully focused on the book he was reading.

Sasuke rolled his eyes internally. Same old Kakashi.

Kakashi was a little difficult to describe. When Sasuke was a genin back in his timeline, he considered Kakashi as a mentor who could teach him the necessary techniques in order to defeat his brother. However, as time passed, Kakashi became more than just a mere teacher. He had been a  _little_  like a father figure, or even an older brother, someone who was supportive of him and even genuinely concerned about him. Kakashi was the one who had hammered the last nail on his head, fully persuading him to stay in Konoha and slowly forget about his revenge, if not for the Sound Four's interference.

_"What's the meaning of this?" Sasuke growled as he was being bound to the trunk of a tree, Kakashi gripping the wires that were putting him in place._

_"If I don't do this, you'll run away, won't you?" Kakashi responded almost nonchalantly. "Since you aren't the type who would sit quietly and listen to lectures." He glanced at the sealed curse mark at the base of Sasuke's neck, his eye softening._

_"Sasuke… Forget about revenge."_

_Sasuke glowered. "_ What? _"_

_"Well, I've seen a lot of people like you, and the fate of those who seek vengeance is grim," Kakashi responded, and there was a fog dwelling in his eye that was almost piercing. "It's tragic."_

_Sasuke, still irritated, only half-listened to his words._

_"You will end up suffering and hurting yourself more," Kakashi continued on quietly. "Even if you do succeed in getting revenge, the only thing that remains is emptiness."_

_"Shut up!" Sasuke growled. "What do_  you _know?! Don't lecture me as if you know what it's like!"_

_"Now, calm down."_

_"Then how about it?" Sasuke sneered. "Should I kill the most important person to you right now? That way, you'll know that what you just said is way off the mark!"_

_"Well, I won't mind if you do." Kakashi's voice was eerily too calm. "Unfortunately, I no longer have anybody important to me." Then he smiled. "…They've all been killed already."_

_His resentment forgotten momentarily, Sasuke's eyes widened._

_"I've lived much longer than you," said Kakashi. "It was a bad time, too. I know very well how it feels to lose important people." He watched as Sasuke hung his head, the latter's eyes slowly becoming dim, no longer struggling in his hold. "Well, I'll say that we're both unlucky people. But we're not completely out of luck."_

_Sasuke looked a little taken aback._

_"You and I have important friends now, don't we?"_

_Unbidden images of Naruto and Sakura came to mind._

_"You understand because you lost important people." Kakashi gently let go of the wire he was gripping, slackening their hold on Sasuke. "You were given the power of Chidori because you have made important friends. That power isn't used against friends or for revenge. You should know what that power is for._

_"Think very carefully about whether or not what I said is off or not."_

_Kakashi left him alone then, muddled in his thoughts._

Sasuke was internally grateful to the man and felt shame inside him when he remembered how he abandoned the team.

But all of that was done now…

"My name is Namikaze Naruto! I'm the awesome Fourth Hokage's son! And, er —"

Sakura promptly elbowed him at the side, albeit not painfully. "It's Red-Hot Habanero. You can't even remember your mom's infamous title? Geez..."

Naruto rubbed the sore spot where she hit him and pouted. "Anywayy... I like ramen! I hate the way how long it takes to cook ramen... I hate it when kaa-chan beats me up... She hits me right at the head, ya know... My hobbies are eating ramen and spending time with my family! Oh, and my dream!" Naruto grinned sunnily, his eyes almost closing due to the wide manner in which he was smiling. "My dream is to take care of my friends, to protect the village, and to bring peace to this world!" He gripped his forehead protector proudly. "I'm going to become the Hokage, just like tou-chan!"

Sasuke sent him a sidelong glance, appearing faintly surprised.  _Looks like unlike long ago, when he wanted to be acknowledged by everyone..._  A tiny smirk played on his lips.

_Now... he's the one who wants to acknowledge everyone._

_A tall order. And unbearably naïve._

_...It's just like that idiot._

Sakura mentally slapped herself.  _Did I just think he looked cool while saying that?!_

Inner-Sakura was seething indignantly.  _Get a grip, Sakura! Sasuke-kun is right beside you! SHANNARO!_

Kakashi's gaze on Naruto was a little too long to be dismissed off as a casual once-over. Perhaps the interest shining in his eyes was a sign.

"Intriguing... You, girl." His gaze turned towards Sakura, who jolted out of her thoughts at the sound of her being addressed. "You're next."

"Oh! Yes. I'm Haruno Sakura. I like..." She glanced over at Sasuke, blushing. "...um, _flowers_! Yes, flowers... Er... My hobbies are reading books, meditating, and baking. My dream..." She couldn't contain her squeal of excitement.

Kakashi sweatdropped.

Naruto leaned closer to her. "And, and? Your dislike?"

Sakura's eyes focused on him, a seemingly evil smirk playing on her lips. "...Do you  _really_  want to know about that...?" she drawled.

Naruto gulped loudly. "U—Uh..."

"All right, next," Kakashi announced, saving his godson from future (indirect) harm. "You, Uchiha."

Sasuke blinked calmly, then internally drew a breath.

"I am Uchiha Sasuke," he said simply. "I don't have many likes, but I do favour shuriken and speed training with my brother. I dislike..." Something in his eyes flashed. Kakashi did not miss it. "...injustice. My hobbies are training, running laps, and playing the..." Suddenly his cheeks uncharacteristically flared red at his apparent slip-up.

Naruto pounced on him immediately. "What,  _what_?! What is it?" he demanded, grinning. He couldn't wait to make fun of the oh-so-great Uchiha Sasuke who looked so embarrassed from almost spilling out his seemingly  _'dirty'_  secret.

Sakura leaned in as well, looking overly curious. Her eyes were still wide in surprise. She didn't think that the usually stoic Sasuke would blush  _that_  deep a red.

Sasuke stubbornly turned his head away, the blush on his face already receding. "...Nothing."

Kakashi eye-smiled. "Now I'm curious, Sasuke. What exactly do you like playing?"

Sasuke looked like he was going to protest, but at the gleaming look on Kakashi's eyes, he felt that he could not get out of this one. "...My mother taught me how to play the harp," he admitted sulkily. "And I've... somehow enjoyed it."

" _HAHAHAHA_! What a  _sissy_!" Naruto guffawed. "The great second Uchiha prodigy, playing the girly harp!  _Hahahaha_! This is priceless! I—I gotta tell everyone! I—I gotta—"

"Say  _ONE_  word and I will behead you," Sasuke threatened, eyes flashing red as the Sharingan replaced his fathomless dark irises. "And I will do it  _slowly_  and  _painfully."_

"Hey, hey,  _chill_!" Naruto raised his hands in a form of surrender. "All right, all right, I won't tell anyone... Just turn off that creepy eye jutsu of yours..."

 _Interesting... He has already awakened his Sharingan at that age?_  Kakashi mused in his head.  _And Naruto and Sakura don't even look surprised…_

Sakura had hearts in her eyes. "Sasuke-kun, you're so cool!" she gushed giddily.

Sasuke coughed, willing the faint pink shade on his cheeks to go away. "My dream... is for peace as well." He ignored the way the three's eyes widened in surprise. "Ever since I was little, I've always wanted to become a part of the Konoha Police Force. Someday, I would like to have the desire to protect this village with my all... after trying to find myself first."

Kakashi raised an eyebrow. "Find yourself...?" he echoed.

"I wish to break the cycle of never-ending wars," Sasuke elaborated in a soft voice. "However, I am still unsure of how to do it. I feel that there is something that has to be done yet before I can decide." He stopped himself from going any further, not wanting to reveal any more.

Kakashi got the message and stood up. His gaze lingered curiously on Sasuke before regarding each of his students. "All right, now that that's done—"

"Hey, wait!" Naruto yelled, snapping out of his stupor. "You haven't even introduced yourself yet, stupid teacher!"

"Ah, my bad, my bad," Kakashi said, waving a hand casually. "I am Hatake Kakashi, your instructor until you three become chūnin. I don't have a lot of likes. Don't have a lot of dislikes, either. My hobbies, well... You don't need to know them."

Sakura's eyes lit up with fire. "That doesn't tell us  _anything_  at all, you stupid teacher!" she yelled indignantly, waving a fist threateningly in the air.

Naruto frowned. "Yeah, stupid teacher!" he echoed.

Kakashi smiled. "And my dream... is to see you three grow up... and protect you until I die."

Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura froze.

Sasuke's eyes were wide.

_No way..._

"We'll meet at Training Ground Six tomorrow morning," Kakashi said, continuing on as if he had said nothing shocking. "Don't be late. Oh, and don't eat breakfast." A foreboding look came upon his face. "You might puke."

And he disappeared with a poof.

Naruto and Sakura snapped out of their trance and looked green.

"Wh—What's with him?" Sakura managed to say. "And what the hell's gonna happen to us tomorrow?"

"Kakashi-sensei's weird, even though he's my godfather," Naruto said flippantly. He turned to Sakura, his eyes sparkling. "Ne, Sakura-chan, wanna go eat with m—"

 _"No."_  Sakura turned to her crush. "Sasuke-kun, do you —  _huh_?"

The space beside her was now empty.

* * *

• • •

* * *

"Oi, Kakashi!" Sasuke panted, running towards the elite jōnin with a speed that he never thought he possessed as a child before. " _Wait!_ "

Kakashi stopped walking, his head turned towards the heavily breathing pre-teen before him. "Yes? What is it, Sasuke? Do you have any questions about our training tomorrow?"

" _No!_ " Sasuke yelled, eliciting a surprised look from Kakashi. "I want to know what the hell you meant back there."

"Hm?" Kakashi sent him an appraising look. "I don't think I get what you mean."

Sasuke narrowed his eyes. "I'm not sure if you're just pretending or not, but I need to know. Did you mean it?"

"Mean what?"

Sasuke gritted his teeth. "That you'd protect the three of us until you die! It makes no sense. You've only just met us. Is there a reason why?"

 _You didn't say that to us back then… What made it different now?_  Sasuke stared at Kakashi with penetrating eyes.  _By chance… Has he come back as well?_

But Kakashi only looked at him blandly. "Naruto is my godson. Of course I'd protect him, even with my life on the line. Also, you three will undoubtedly be under my tutelage until all of you become chūnin." He smiled. "About that, though… We'll just have to see tomorrow."

 _…Tomorrow?_  Sasuke's eyes widened slightly in realization.  _He means that our team is still temporary. He's going to test us first to see if we pass, just like he did back then._

_I can't believe it, though. If it weren't for that uncharacteristic line, I wouldn't have this damned assumption… If I think about it deeply now, it makes absolute sense. In this timeline, Naruto's parents are alive. Kakashi's the Fourth Hokage's student. Of course he'd care about Naruto and then drag me and Sakura along since the three of us make a team._

_Damn it. I got all anticipated for nothing!_

"Well?" Kakashi's voice brought him back to the present. "Are there any more questions you want to ask me, Sasuke?"

Sasuke turned away, his hands in his pockets. "No," he answered stiffly before going on his way.

These occasional moments of weakness regarding his team were foreign to him. All his life — well,  _most_  of it, anyway, back in the future — he spent his waking hours training to become stronger than Itachi, to become the man who was going to avenge his clan one day. Sure, he had spent his genin days with his team, with Team 7, and grew an attachment to them. It had been promising and full of warmth; he never had to only listen in the sidelines because he was a part of them, not a spectator. However, it felt like it had been too long since he was exposed so much to their friendship, to their interactions. Back in the war, they were temporary allies working against a common enemy.

Here, however, Sasuke was confused. Of course, there was no reason to keep them away anymore; his family was here. Everything he had strived for was here, in this timeline in which he had been granted the chance to live in. Everything was far too real, far  _too_  intricate to be a powerful genjutsu. The Infinite Tsukuyomi couldn't even hold a candle to this. In the Infinite Tsukuyomi, the genjutsu showed the people their wishes, their wants, their obscured desires. It created a world — an illusionary dream — and would continue to satisfy the person for a stretch far beyond the boundaries of infinity, probably. Kaguya, however, from what he could remember, could not possibly be able to place the four of them into a genjutsu in the dimension they were in. His Rinnegan, again, could have also made sure that he would not get caught in it.

So this was  _definitely_  real. And it was  _frustrating_  because there were now many enemies out there waiting to strike. In the future, peace was already a possibility since all five great nations were united. But here, it all went back from scratch.

Sasuke actually desired peace as well, because he even went so far as to resign to becoming alone for the rest of his life just to keep all the nations allied together, even though his way was a little twisted.

And  _lonely._

Which was why when he noticed a glaring possibility that his team — especially  _Naruto_  — possibly made it here as well, he began to hope. If it was them, they could find a way. Sasuke, deep inside, felt that he could not do this alone, something that he pondered to himself  _over_  and  _over_  again. He couldn't confide in Itachi possibly yet. He had to figure out all of this with his team.

After all, Team 7 was the one that almost defeated the Rabbit goddess herself:  _Ōtsutsuki Kaguya._

They could do this.

* * *

• • •

* * *

Naruto yawned as he walked past the entrance to the training grounds. He had been especially woken up by his mother and yelled at when he didn't get up immediately. Kakashi had  _better_  have a good reason why he needed them here this early in the morning.

As he walked, he remembered the conversation he and his parents had while having breakfast.

_"So, Kakashi asked you three to be at the training ground today?" Minato inquired, lowering his newspaper so he could meet his son's eyes._

_"Yeah," Naruto replied, sadly watching Kushina chewing on her bacon and eggs. "It's_  too _early, though! Man, that guy must be a real early bird… And he told us not to eat breakfast!"_

_Suddenly, both Minato and Kushina gave knowing chuckles. Naruto looked at them in confusion as their eyes met, obviously having an inside joke between them._

_"…What? Wait, don't tell me—!" Naruto eyed his parents carefully. "Is he gonna smack me on the head if I'm late? Or kick me in the butt three times? Or worse…_  starve _me?!"_

_His inquiry only extracted full-blown laughter from Kushina and an even heartier laugh from Minato._

_"Ah, well…" Kushina said after a few minutes of getting a breather, wiping tears of mirth from her eyes. "…I guess you'll have to get going if you wanna find out, dattebane~!"_

"Man, what is it with them?" Naruto muttered. "I can't figure it out…"

When he reached the three log posts, he saw that Sakura was already there, reading a scroll which he couldn't recognize.

"Good morning, Sakura-chan!" Naruto greeted, his voice becoming chipper at the sight of his crush.

"Morning, Naruto," Sakura greeted back absently, albeit in a drawl since she was busy scanning the contents of the scroll.

Naruto looked around, confused. "Huh? Sasuke ain't here yet? Funny, I thought he's always early."

That prompted Sakura to look up. "I think Sasuke-kun probably overslept. There's no way he'd be late in our first training together as a team." Suddenly her cheeks flared pink, and her eyes averted to the ground. "Umm… Maybe I should go pick him up at his house then… I mean, I  _am_  his teammate, after all, and he probably wouldn't like to be late today…"

* * *

_Meanwhile, at the Uchiha Household…_

* * *

Sasuke was sleeping peacefully in his bed. Mikoto passed by and decided to check on her son.

She then saw that his alarm clock was set at ten. It was only currently seven-thirty.

 _I'll let him sleep…_  Mikoto thought to herself, humming cheerfully.  _Besides, it looks like his first training with his team doesn't start until ten-thirty._

* * *

Naruto huffed in jealousy. "Leave him be, Sakura-chan! The bastard just doesn't care, anyways!"

"Hey!" Sakura waved a fist at him threateningly. "Don't you dare talk badly of Sasuke-kun!" She let out a  _'hmph'_  before turning her attention back to her scroll.

Naruto sulked.  _Just what's so great about that guy, anyway? Man, I wish Sakura-chan would look at me like the way she always looks at Sasuke…_

The seconds turned to minutes, then the minutes to hours. Naruto was already starting to nod off while Sakura was muttering darkly under her breath.

"That stupid teacher… It's already fifteen minutes past ten!" she growled to herself. "How much longer is he going to make us wait?!"

At that moment, footsteps scraped the grass leisurely, causing Sakura to draw her attention away from the scroll she was studying.

"Kakashi-sen — oh!  _Sasuke-kun!_ " she exclaimed, abandoning her study material on the ground. "Good morning!"

Sasuke gave her a nod of acknowledgement. "Morning."

Sakura swooned inwardly.  _He greeted me back! Okay, Sakura, now it's time to start up a nice conversation!_

"Oh, Sasuke-kun, you don't need to worry about being late. Kakashi-sensei still isn't here yet and Naruto and I have been waiting here for about three hours now," she assured him.

Sasuke concealed a smirk. "Ah, is that so?"  _Thought so. Same old Kakashi._  Then his eyes came upon Naruto's snoring form. "That idiot is already sleeping."

Sakura nodded vigorously. "That's right! He doesn't care at all!"

Sasuke cast her a sidelong glance. "…What's that scroll you were reading?"

Sakura's eyes widened slightly. Oh! Sasuke was actually  _talking_  to her! Sasuke was actually striking up a conversation!

Well, this was her chance! "It's a scroll about—"

At that moment, a loud poof sounded, revealing Kakashi's cheerfully smiling form before them.

Naruto was wrenched out from sleep at the sound, his eyes blearily focusing on his teacher.

After regaining his vision, he instantly stood up, his finger already pointing accusingly at Kakashi.

" _YOU'RE LATE!_ " he and Sakura yelled in unison.

Sasuke smirked. _Just like the old days…_  he mused.

"Ah, sorry, sorry," Kakashi apologized, holding up a hand sheepishly. "An old lady asked me to carry her groceries for her, so as a shinobi of rank, I couldn't just ignore her…"

Naruto and Sakura raised an eyebrow, both wearing eerily identical expressions on their faces.

"Ya know, I get the feeling that it's a lie…"

"I agree with you…"

Kakashi sweatdropped. "All right, now we'll start—"

" _Ack!_  Wait a minute!" Naruto's attention was now on Sasuke. "Hey, bastard, when did you co—"

Sakura promptly smacked a hand on Naruto's mouth, effectively silencing his outburst. "Don't rat him out!" she hissed in his ear.

Naruto's voice was muffled behind her hand. "B—But Sakura-chan!"

"All right." Kakashi's voice interrupted their banter. "Alarm set at 12:00 PM."

"Huh?" Naruto and Sakura echoed as they stared at Kakashi. Sasuke, already knowing what was going to come next, just watched and went with the flow.

The sound of bells tinkled in the air as Kakashi held up those certain objects in his hand. "Today's topic is to get one of these bells from me. Whoever can't will have no lunch."

Naruto squeaked in shock.

"I'm going to tie you there," Kakashi continued on as if he hadn't heard the slight protest, pointing towards one of the log posts, "and eat lunch in front of you."

Naruto and Sakura were gripping their growling stomachs, looking fairly depressed.

"So that's why he said…" Naruto muttered.

"…don't eat breakfast," Sakura finished. Regaining her composure quickly, she stared at Kakashi, puzzled. "But wait, why are there only  _two_  bells?"

Kakashi sent her a cheerful smile. "Since there's only two, at least one will have to be tied to the log. That person will fail since he failed to complete the mission." He jiggled the bells in his hand almost mockingly. "The person will go back to the Academy. It might be just one, or all three. You can use your shuriken. You won't be able to get this unless you have the intent to kill me."

"B—But that's too dangerous, sensei!" Sakura protested.

"Yeah, yeah!" Naruto agreed.

"In society, those who don't have many abilities tend to complain more," said Kakashi. "We're going to begin after I say  _'start'."_

Naruto, typically irritated by his teacher's blatant remark, began to make a rash first move. Sasuke, already expecting this, grabbed him by the collar, thereby preventing him from moving.

"Let go of me, bastard!" Naruto hissed at him. "That was uncalled for, ya stupid teacher!"

Kakashi's stare was almost steely. "How hasty… I haven't even said  _'start'_  yet." Slowly, almost leisurely, he began to search for something in his small pouch which he kept at the side of his hip.

"Stop, idiot," Sasuke hissed back at the struggling blond boy. "You're gonna botch the training!"

"Okay, _start_!" Kakashi announced, an orange-coloured book positioned in front of his face as he began to read its contents.

Sakura immediately went into hiding. Sasuke followed after her, dragging a protesting Naruto with him.

"Will you  _stop_  moving so much?" Sasuke grumbled, shoving Naruto away from him once they concealed themselves from Kakashi.

"Who gave you permission to do whatever you want, asshole?!" Naruto snapped, his eyes narrowed in indignation.

Sasuke rubbed his temples, praying for patience. "Look. He's a  _jōnin._  He's stronger than all three of us combined."

Sakura was clasping her hands together, looking nervous. "Then how can we beat him? If we can't even get near him, we'll never get the bells."

"Which is why we have to work together." Sasuke ignored their surprised looks. "There may only be two bells, but if we display good teamwork and coordination, Kakashi may consider that we can all pass this test together.  _Think_ ," he added at their hesitant, apprehensive features, "why were we placed in three-man cells in the first place?"

"That's easy. 'Cause I'm cool and you're not," Naruto remarked proudly.

"Um, to have more manpower in hand?" Sakura tried.

This was going to be harder than Sasuke thought. Naruto was understandable, since he never listened in class and only crossed the bridge when he arrived there, but Sakura, whom he always considered as one with good intelligence and observation skills, was somewhat of a disappointment. She had always aced the written tests, but her development in physical training was a little slower compared to the others in their class. It was as if she was still trying to adjust to her body; her aim, her hand-and-foot coordination… almost everything were a bit too askew.

Sasuke let out a sigh, then narrowed his eyes to show that he was serious.

"Three genins are placed in one team so that we can learn  _teamwork,"_  he emphasized. "If we have to get those bells from Kakashi, we have to work together."

Naruto frowned, his eyes holding slight mistrust. "Why should I have to work together with  _you_?" he said almost snarkily, childishly not wanting to risk getting sent back to the Academy despite his friend's ( _rival's_ ) proposition. "There are only  _two_  bells, ya know! Sakura-chan and I can get them ourselves!"

Sasuke gritted his teeth. Of course, because Kakashi made it in such a way that they would be competing against each other.

He glanced at Sakura. She looked indignant at the revelation that Naruto would rather get Sasuke to fail, but she seemed conflicted as well.

If he couldn't get to these two through mere logic, then he would have to settle for what he always had, back when the massacre of his clan didn't happen.

His blunt, genuine honesty.

"…If we're going to pass together," he said slowly, enunciating the words carefully and looking them straight in the eyes without any sort of mask hiding his true feelings, "then you two have to trust me."

Naruto and Sakura stared at him, eyes wide.

He tested them. "I have a plan," he proposed.

* * *

• • •

* * *

Kakashi continued reading his book, occasionally letting out a small giggle when reading some  _certain_  parts of the story. Although he was focused on his favourite hobby, there was a small part of his mind that was interested in his little students' would-be antics. Since it certainly looked like Naruto was one who dove in headfirst into things and Sakura was the hesitant one, with no great physical prowess at the moment. Sasuke was the one he should watch out for, but if he managed to convince the other two to join forces to get the bells from him, Kakashi would only be able to partly focus on his book.

There was a loud rustle, and Naruto jumped out of a nearby bush, looking very irritated.

" _No way!_  That plan of yours is  _stupid_! Sakura-chan and I can get the bells by ourselves and I  _don't_  wanna trust you!" He stuck out his tongue at what was unmistakably the hiding place of his teammates and turned to Kakashi, pointing a finger towards him challengingly.

"Hey, you!  _Stupid teacher_! Let's have a one-on-one!"

Kakashi sighed internally.  _He's becoming more and more like Kushina-san each day..._  He looked up slightly from the contents of the page, eyeing his godson. "I told you, didn't I? You wouldn't be able to get the bells if you don't have the intent to kill me..." Kakashi went in for the kill. "... _shrimp_."

As expected, Naruto exploded. " _WHAT!_  You — why I  _oughta_  —!"

In his anger, he proceeded to land a punch on Kakashi. The latter easily blocked it with one hand and dodged a kick that came next. Naruto, frustrated at his progress, attempted another punch point-blank, his fist flying towards Kakashi's face.

Kakashi moved out of the way, sighing. He was about to return the favour when he suddenly felt an unmistakable molding of chakra nearby.

" _Katon: Gōkakyū no Jutsu!_ "

Kakashi barely dodged the flames.  _So that's their plan..._  he realized.  _So they've managed to catch me off-guard._

He was about to move when he suddenly couldn't. When his head craned downwards, he saw wires wrapped around his legs, immobilizing him in place. The wires were laden with chakra, for the purpose of masking their sounds when they were brandished. Kakashi smiled slightly when he realized that this trick required at least a better than average chakra control because of the painstaking effort to coat chakra around something  _that_  thin, as well as the additional work of concealing its movements.

And he knew just the person among the three who was more than capable of doing this.

_Teamwork, huh...?_

Sasuke moved fast. He exchanged blows with Kakashi, the latter parrying and dodging them easily even though his feet were incapacitated. Naruto chose that moment to rush in, throwing exploding tags at Kakashi.

_I'm glad..._

Kakashi gave an almost imperceptible smile before his body poofed in smoke.

_...Minato-sensei, it looks like I haven't failed at everything at all..._

" _Kawarimi?!_ " Sasuke exclaimed, an annoyed expression appearing on his features as a charred log fell to the ground. "When did he — ?!"

" _Shinobi Tactic #3: Ninjutsu_ ," Kakashi's voice rumbled from an inconspicuous place nearby.

Sasuke froze.  _Shit...! He's —_

A hand shot upwards, breaking the clump of dirt from the ground. Said appendage clutched Sasuke's ankle in a tight grip.

_— underground!_

_Damn... Not again...!_

" _Shinobi Tactic #2: Genjutsu_ ," Kakashi muttered, already behind the surprised Sakura.

The latter spun around at his voice, though she unfortunately hadn't heard his words. She already had a kunai in front of her ready, the sign of an at least better-prepared fresh Genin, but then everything turned hazy.

Her eyes took on a dull look as she seemed to be in a trance for a moment before her vision eventually cleared. Instantly, her senses went on high alert, surveying her surroundings in panic.

 _Where can Kakashi-sensei be...?!_  Sakura wondered frantically. She was already paranoid by the moment she saw Sasuke being easily almost completely buried into the ground. What more could their terrifying teacher  _do_  to them?!

" _Sakura..._ " a choked, almost gargled voice that was unmistakably Sasuke's caused Sakura to turn towards the direction where he was calling her. " _Help... me..._ "

Sakura's eyes were sparkling when she heard her name, but her brief happiness stopped short when she realized that his tone was definitely off.

Then she saw it.

Sasuke's head was no longer visible on the ground. Instead, only his arm stuck out, and said appendage was beckoning her weakly, blood splattered all over fair skin.

Sakura stared, frozen to the ground. She stared and stared for what seemed like an eternity.

Then she fell to the ground in a dead faint.

* * *

• • •

* * *

 _Perhaps I overdid it a bit..._  Kakashi thought as he advanced towards the last member of the team.  _Maa... They'll get over it._

" _Shinobi Tactic #1_ ," Kakashi said loudly, startling the blond boy as he realized that the former was actually behind him, " _Taijutsu_."

And Naruto felt a searing pain in his —

" _Thousand Years of Pain!_ " Kakashi exclaimed with a glint in his eye.

And Naruto went flying into the sky, his eyeballs stretched outwards in an impossible length out of pure pain and shock.

* * *

• • •

* * *

"That... was  _disappointing."_

In the end, both Sasuke and Naruto were tied to the posts, with Sakura sitting on the grass between them with a rueful look on her face. Kakashi stood before them, a dissatisfied expression staring right back at them.

"As punishment, you will have no lunch. However," Kakashi added, his features crinkling into a slight smile, "I  _do_  have a gentlemanly side left in me, so I will allow Sakura to eat."

Sasuke's face turned sour. Naruto's mirrored his.

_Gentlemanly side, my ass..._

"But..." Kakashi gave her a threatening stare. "...you must  _not_  share your food with the boys. I am giving you three one last chance here. Break this rule and you will all not go unpunished. Is that  _clear_?"

Sakura gulped, looking fairly intimidated. "Yes, sensei."

"Good. I will come back after you've finished eating." Kakashi loomed over them, exuding a menacing aura. "Remember,  _I_  am the  _rule_  here.  _Understand?_ "

When he disappeared, Sakura let out the breath she hadn't known she was holding. Man, that was  _unexpected_! Her first impression of her teacher was that he was some lazy, tardy instructor who only cared about reading that stupid book of his.

Now, her second impression of him  _completely_  contrasted her first.

It only made her realize — no,  _remember_  — that Kakashi was a jōnin. He didn't get to that position without a definite skill set.

She looked down at her boxed lunch and gulped. She was hungry, yes, but guilt would wrack her body for mercilessly eating in front of her equally hungry teammates — especially  _Sasuke._

[ _She was still clueless that he had conveniently eaten a hearty breakfast back at his home._ ]

Sasuke gritted his teeth slightly. This was  _not_  the way he pictured out that it would go today. To be fair, though, even if they worked together as a team to try to take the bells, Kakashi was still far too skilled for them to beat, and Naruto and Sakura weren't the powerhouses they should be. But they did it, didn't they? They displayed  _teamwork_!  _Why_  wasn't he passing them yet?

Sasuke glanced over at the conflicted-looking Sakura.  _Maybe Kakashi felt that it wasn't enough. We weren't even communicating back when we fought him; maybe he wants to see if we're all willing to act as true teammates despite not knowing each other that well._

"Sakura," Sasuke said. "Share your lunch with Naruto."

Sakura jolted in surprise, her eyes darting over her surroundings in mild paranoia. "Sasuke-kun? But Kakashi-sensei said that —"

"He'd be of no use to us if he doesn't have the energy to fight," Sasuke said in a matter-of-fact tone, eliciting an indignant protest from Naruto. "Besides, we're supposed to work together. We can't take those bells if we try to take them one-by-one."

Naruto snorted. "Like working together ever did us any good earlier."

Sasuke ignored him.

Sakura looked hesitant for a moment. "But... what about  _you_ , Sasuke-kun?"

"I'll be fine," Sasuke said flatly. "That dope's stomach is the problem."

Thankfully, Naruto wasn't listening this time, his eyes fixated on the boxed lunch which Sakura was holding in her hands. She had taken the lid off and treated his vision with a delicious looking, steamy meal from the container.

Sakura relented at the suggestion, taking the chopsticks. Sasuke had a point... and even though it was risky, it seemed logical enough. "A—All right… Here."

"Um..." Naruto grinned at her cheekily, a red blush staining his cheeks. "I can't eat with my hands..."

Sakura looked revolted for a moment before forcing herself to feed him.

"Just  _one_  bite!" she growled.

"Okay, okay!"

After Naruto swallowed the food down, there was suddenly a loud thunderclap accompanied by ominous dark-grey clouds. Naruto gulped loudly, this time not because of the food. Sakura, who was beside him, trembled in fear.

Sasuke, on the other hand, had a poker face.

_I forgot how ridiculously dramatic Kakashi was in this time..._

" _YOU GUYS!_ " Kakashi rumbled, his eyes sparkling with implied intent.

" _EEEK!_ " both Naruto and Sakura shrieked girlishly.

Kakashi loomed over them suspensefully.

" _PASS!_ "

" _NOOOO!_  I DON'T WANNA GO BACK TO THE ACADEMY —  _huh_?" Naruto opened his eyes which had closed shut in his earlier terror.  _"Wha_  — did I hear right? Sakura-chan?!"

"What... I..." Then an imaginary light bulb went off in Sakura's head. "So that test was...!"

Kakashi nodded, smiling at then cheerfully. The dark clouds were already receding, and the cold, cold breeze reverted back to its slight summer chill.

"It was a test of teamwork," he confided in a surprisingly soft tone. "You three have displayed better teamwork that what I've seen in average genin teams despite not being close to each other. It was enough to let you all pass." His eye crinkled in mild delight. "Although I have already expected this kind of result from the start."

"Wha — ? Hey, whaddaya mean by that? I don't think I understand," Naruto interjected in confusion.

Sakura nodded. "Me, too."

Sasuke leaned forward slightly, interested.

"Don't think that I don't know about your pasts," Kakashi said knowingly. "The day before we met up, I spoke with each of your parents as a prerequisite for being Team 7's teacher. After those talks, I noticed a particular information which was in common with all three parents."

Naruto, Sakura, and Sasuke stared at him, their heads tilted and their confused expressions identical. It almost made Kakashi want to squeeze their cheeks for looking so cute and innocent.

"Well, turned out that you three were actually very close when you were five. Naruto here used to visit Sasuke's house almost all the time, usually bringing Sakura along with him. You would all then go to the forest near the Uchiha District and play." Kakashi smiled at their shocked looks. "But then one day, everything seemed to vanish. You three no longer went to each other's houses or even went back to that forest together. Naruto would sometimes hang out with Sasuke, but those moments were rare, as Kushina-san told me. Sakura, on the other hand, eventually took to approaching Sasuke every chance she had. While Sasuke..."

Sasuke's mind was reeling. What was that?! If what Kakashi was saying was true, then he should be able to  _remember_  those moments! But why, whenever he tried to think about his early childhood days, his mind drew a blank? What was happening? Was this another effect of time travel?

_Are my memories going to be distorted? Altered?_

_Or worse..._ Erased _?_

Unbenkownst to him, Kakashi was looking at him, about to finish his sentence.

"While Sasuke... only secretly watched the two of you from afar." A soft expression came upon Kakashi's face. "Like a silent guardian. Isn't that right, Sasuke?"

A pink shade coloured Sasuke's cheeks without his permission. "Sh—Shut up," he growled, internally wondering how Kakashi knew that he was observing his old teammates.

Meanwhile, Naruto and Sakura looked perfectly confused. Whenever they tried to remember their childhood, none of what Kakashi said ever came to mind. It was as if they were trying to analyze a blank slate; nothing would come up no matter how hard they tried.

Kakashi smiled, this time a little softer. "Those who don't follow the rules are scum. However..." He surveyed his new team, noting that each had various indescribable looks on their faces. "...those who abandon their comrades are  _worse_  than scum."

Sasuke inadvertently glanced at his teammates, a faraway look on his face.

_Huh... What a nostalgic feeling…_

Back when they were mere, naïve Genins fresh into the world of ninjas… Kakashi's advice had always stuck into Naruto the most.

But then...

"...What?" Naruto suddenly muttered, looking dazed. "What's... going on...?"

Sasuke stiffened at the eerily familiar tone of Naruto's voice.

The latter suddenly looked perplexed. "Wha... I don't understand..." His eyes darted between Kakashi, Sasuke, and a wide-eyed looking Sakura. "Why're you guys... all  _little_  again?"

* * *

**tbc**


	8. Chapter 8

CHAPTER 2.3

* * *

Kakashi, Sakura, and Sasuke stared at their teammate in various expressions of surprise. Naruto only stared back in pure confusion, his mind still reeling. His memories were in conflict with these old ones which he weren't sure were actually new ones or a part of him. The distorted perception made the gears in his mind slow down, needing ample time to adjust and process new information.

Sasuke knew that look and acted fast. "Kakashi," he said in a more level tone than he thought he could manage. "It looks like the idiot became too excited from passing. Care to untie us now?"

Kakashi snapped out of his thoughts and nodded. "All right. Our first meeting as a team will occur tomorrow, same time. We will be going on our first mission. Don't be tardy."

Sasuke scoffed mentally.  _What a hypocrite._

After feeling the ropes loosen their hold against him, he waited for Kakashi to finish untying Naruto before proceeding to drag the dazed idiot out of the training grounds.

"We'll be off first," he called out.

Kakashi raised a hand in acknowledgement before poofing out of existence, desiring to read more of his book in privacy. Sakura, on the other hand, raised an eyebrow at Naruto's weird actions but shrugged it off.  _Maybe Sasuke-kun's right and he just became too excited from passing. Sasuke-kun can knock some sense into him._ She repressed the urge to squeal out loud.  _All right! We passed! Sasuke-kun and I are now going to be in the same team forever~! Kyaaaa!_

* * *

• • •

* * *

"Sasuke?  _Hey_!" Naruto stared at him, wide-eyed. "What happened to you? Why're you—"

Sasuke promptly let go of him and crossed his arms across his chest. "All right,  _explain_."

"Explain  _what_?" Naruto blinked. "But I don't know how we got to be little again —"

Sasuke's chest soared a little with hope.  _Could it be...? Was Naruto...?_

"But, hey!" Naruto's eyes darted around. "Where's Kaguya?!"

Sasuke's eyes widened. His mouth wanted to open, to speak words yet even though unformed died on the tip of his tongue. This was it. He wasn't alone. He was  _right_. His gamble was correct.

Him and Naruto...

Indra and Ashura...

The Sage of the Six Paths' legacy...

It truly  _was_  like fate.

" _Ugh_..." Naruto suddenly groaned, putting a hand to his head. "My brain feels like it's spinning wildly... I'm so  _confused_  right now...! What the  _heck_  —"

"I'm glad you're here."

Naruto froze in surprise, his head snapping towards Sasuke. The latter actually had the smallest of smiles on his face, and relief seemed to shadow his expression. It only served to puzzle Naruto even further.

"Hey, of course I'm here!" he declared, pointing a finger at Sasuke challengingly. "I'll  _always_  be here to kick some sense into your thick head, bastard!"

"Heh. As if you'd even manage to land a hit."

"What was that?! Why I  _oughta_  — !"

" _Naruto_." The change of tone in Sasuke's voice made Naruto stop his antics. "If you still haven't figured it out yet, sit down and meditate. It will help."

Naruto's face scrunched up in confusion. " _Meditate_? What for?"

"What do you remember before your awareness came crashing in?"

"What do you  _mean_  my awareness?"

Sasuke sighed. " _Idiot_. Just do as I say and sit down."

Naruto grumbled, "Fine, fine. Bossy jerk." He did as Sasuke told him to and sat down on the fresh grass, preparing to relax his mind and body for meditation. Not that doing it was going to take a lot of effort from him; he had already mastered senjutsu enough that this was a piece of cake for him.

Naruto sat and waited, his eyes closed. He left his mind purposefully blank, and carefully breathed in and out. The key to a good meditation lay in breathing. If the breathing is good, the body will relax, and so will the mind eventually. Naruto shut out his senses, focusing only on his internal energy and peace.

It worked. His brain was no longer whirring frantically; he let the memories come and go as they please, yet in an organized, slow manner. He let himself process them all in a leisurely pace, waiting for the answers to gradually come to him.

And when it did, his eyes flew open.

His startled yell made all the birds fly away from where he was.

* * *

• • •

* * *

Kushina glanced at the clock and frowned. It was going to be seven soon and Naruto still wasn't home. Knowing Kakashi, he wouldn't show up at seven thirty in the morning but most likely about three or four hours later than the agreed time. However, even so, there would still have been plenty of time for Naruto to do everything he wanted to do before he realized that it was nearing his curfew.

Kushina didn't actually favour giving her son a limited time to spend outside on his own since he was fresh out of the Academy now, having proved countless times that he was ready for the world of the shinobi and all of the challenges it came with. However, Naruto was still only  _seven_  years old. He wasn't even at  _least_  a pre-teen yet. Kushina just couldn't help but worry for him. Reality of ninjas was harsh, and she didn't even want to imagine what Naruto would feel once he experienced his first kill. Assassination, covert affairs, spying... All in line in a shinobi's work. Soon, her son was going to experience the world of the adults.

It frightened her.

"Damn that boy, dattebane," she muttered to herself as she viciously chopped up onions and garlic. "Always making me worry. Where the heck is he right now, anyway?"

As if on cue, the front door opened slowly, as if the person behind the door was overly cautious in attempting to sneak in. Kushina, however, with her momentarily heightened senses due to her irritation, immediately had her head snapped towards the source of the sound, her fiery red hair flowing loosely behind her back.

Naruto trembled inside as he tiptoed across the hall. He had completely forgotten that he had a curfew. The long,  _long_  talk he had with Sasuke earlier did serve the purpose of helping his memories rearrange and organize themselves in his head, but due to his previous confusion, he forgot that in this timeline, he had a family.

Oh... He had a  _family_! He had a mom, a dad, a home...  _everything_! It had  _completely_  slipped his mind, and he just let his legs unconsciously take him to this apartment —

"And just  _where_  have you been, young man...?" a terrifying, calm voice suddenly sounded from behind him.

The sound of his mother's voice succeeded in causing all the hairs on his body to stand up at their ends.

"Eheheh..." Naruto chuckled nervously as he whirled around to face his irate parent. As he did so, he jumped back in fright. Kushina stood there before him, her eyes glimmering dangerously under the ceiling lights and her long, vibrant-red hair seemingly flying in the air like the snakes on Medusa's head. Her hands were on her hips as she regarded her son with ferocity.

Naruto froze in place, sweating profusely. His mouth could not seem to form words properly. "A—Ah... You see, kaa-chan... S—Sasuke and I... Uh..."

"Just what did you two do that it had to take past your curfew?" Kushina demanded. "Do you  _know_  how worried I was?"

Naruto hung his head, ashamed. "I'm sorry..."

Kushina's gaze softened. "Don't do it again, you hear? All right. Chin up now, honey." She smiled as she raised his head and cupped his cheeks. "I know you're growing up to be a big, strong boy just like your Daddy, but you have to understand: your Daddy has many enemies, and who knows if some of them are skilled enough to cross the village's borders? Your Daddy and I don't want to take any risks. I've told you this many times before, haven't I?"

"I know... I understand, kaa-chan," Naruto said, tearing up. This was the family he had always wanted. Oh, how it made him  _so_  happy.

Someone cared for him so deeply and waited for him to come home. It was such a surreal feeling. It almost felt like a dream. This all couldn't be happening, right? What if this was all just a cruel genjutsu of some sort?

Well, if it was just an illusion, then it was working. He didn't want to wake up.

_She was already fading away as she ran towards him, clasping her arms around him in a warm, tight embrace._

" _Naruto!" she cried._  " _Thank you for letting me be your Mom… Thank you for letting Minato be your Dad… Thank you for being born to us! Thank you… so very much."_

_She disappeared, leaving a trail of longing tears on her son's face._

"Don't cry!" Kushina laughed, playfully hugging her son to her bosom. "You big baby!"

Naruto laughed along with his mother, yet still his tears could not stop.

Suddenly, the front door opened, revealing a weary-looking Minato as he stepped inside.

"I'm home…" His voice trailed off when he saw mother and son embracing each other. He smiled, albeit hesitantly. "…Is this a bad time?"

Naruto gently let go of his mother and stared at his father.

_Naruto gripped his forehead protector and grinned up at the monument before going on his training journey with Jiraiya, his fist raised towards the direction of the Fourth Hokage's stone-carved face. "Please watch me."_

•••

" _I know you'll find the answer." Minato smiled as he placed his hand atop his son's head. "I have faith in you."_

 _Naruto stared at him, something flashing in his eyes. "Really? You_  really _believe I can do it?"_

" _To be a parent is to have undying faith in one's child." Minato retracted his hand, and Naruto instantly felt the loss of warmth from his father's touch. "Now then, it's time for me to go. My chakra's fading."_

_Panic filled Naruto's chest. "Huh?! No, wait…"_

" _I will rebuild the seal. However, this will be for the last time." Minato watched as the ink marks on Naruto's stomach went back to their original forms. He looked at his son with narrowed eyes, faith and determination shining in his irises. "The Leaf can be rebuilt. I'm counting on you… Naruto!"_

_He faded away, his gentle smile the last thing his son saw._

_Naruto tentatively placed his hand on his abdomen, as if trying to gain back the warmth of his father's touch. A smile curved his lips._

"… _Thank you… tou-chan."_

Naruto rushed to his parents and hugged them, ignoring their small exclaims of surprise.

_I think this is what it feels like... to be truly happy._

* * *

• • •

* * *

Sasuke let out a somewhat relieved sigh as he heard the sound of faint laughter coming from the house. Satisfied, he placed his hands inside his pockets and turned around, walking towards the direction of his house. He and Naruto may have been enemies once, but the fact still remained that Naruto was his closest friend. And perhaps he always would be. Sasuke knew that, knowing that numbskull, their bond would probably last a lifetime.

 _Hmph. I'm actually going soft now..._  Yet Sasuke did not flinch as greatly as he would've had. Resigned acceptance was slowly filling him, and he found that he did not exactly unwelcome it.

* * *

• • •

* * *

Sakura hummed a sweet, romantic melody as she skipped towards the training grounds. Today was her first day with her new team, and she was  _excited_! To be able to spend more time with Sasuke made her feel even more ecstatic as she daydreamed about the possible subtle romantic lines he was going to say to her in the duration of the day. Oh, he was  _so_  dreamy —

 _But Sasuke-kun wouldn't do that, anyway,_  Sakura mused, chuckling to herself lightly.  _I'm getting a little too ahead of myself._

"Sakura-chan!" Naruto greeted cheerfully, waving a hand towards her direction. "Good morning!"

Sasuke sent her a sidelong glance, nodding curtly in acknowledgement.

"Good morning, Sasuke-kun!" Sakura greeted with a happy smile on her face.

"Ahh... Sakura-chan..." Naruto said somberly, hanging his head low in disappointment. "I'm here, too, you know..."

While Sakura was distracted with her daydreaming ( _evidence in which there were sudden hearts in her eyes_ ), Naruto leaned towards Sasuke, his gaze imploring.

"Do you think Sakura-chan remembers, too?"

Sasuke closed his eyes, feigning disinterest. "I don't think so."

"But...  _would_  she?" Naruto hoped. "She's a part of Team 7, too. We're  _friends_!"

"I don't think she'll remember, Naruto," Sasuke said promptly, crushing his hopes. "Maybe we're just the only ones who came back." Sasuke looked at him then, his stare almost piercing. "So you shouldn't treat her like the Sakura you know back in our timeline."

"I know that!" Naruto said, annoyed. "But I will still keep on believing. Team 7 is one, remember? We're all going to stick together no matter what."

At that moment, Kakashi suddenly poofed in front of them, wearing his trademark mask-smile. "Yo!" he greeted with a raised hand.

"YOU'RE  _LATE_!" Naruto and Sakura chorused in irritation.

"Sorry, sorry," said Kakashi, giving a sheepish smile as he rubbed the back of his head in apology. "I couldn't sleep. You see, I was up all night thinking about this poor old lady I helped yesterday — "

"You  _really_  think we're gonna believe that?!"

Kakashi sighed, sounding resigned. "Such cute little kids. Anyway, let's go."

"Hey, hey, Kakashi-sensei," Naruto said, coming up beside his teacher. "What kind of mission do we have today?"

Kakashi turned towards him, his grin unusually very bright.

"Ah, I think it's about the case of a missing cat…"

Naruto's jaw dropped open.

_Nooooo! Not that stupid caaat!_

* * *

• • •

* * *

"So much for an exciting day…" Naruto mumbled as he opened the front door of his house. His body was covered with claw scratches and tiny bites. The cat, Tora, had been very anxious and angry earlier, perhaps because of the fact that Naruto was chasing him with a desperate, horrifying expression on his face that the feline just snapped. Sakura had only stared and sighed as Naruto wrestled with the cat, while Sasuke informed Kakashi that they completed their mission.

In short, it was Naruto who did  _all_  the work. Not even his evil eye could faze the slight amusement on Sasuke's face.

"Welcome home, Naru —  _huh_?!" Kushina ran over to him the moment her eyes met his form. "What happened to you? I thought missions for fresh genins are D-Rank only!"

"Um… It  _was_  a D-Rank mission," Naruto said, immediately filled with embarrassment.

Kushina stared at him.

"Er… some rich old lady's cat ran away, so we had to…" Naruto groaned in pain. "That stupid cat…"

"Ah, you mean Tora-kun?" Kushina's voice was laced with mirth.

Naruto's head snapped towards his mother. "…How do you know that, kaa-chan?"

"Well, there came a time a little over a few years ago when that same cat managed to run away in the middle of the night," explained Kushina. "It was only discovered in the morning that Tora-kun went missing. Since that day was the day when almost all genins, chūnins, and jōnins were busy due to the Chūnin Exams as well as the upcoming peace treaties between villages, I was coincidentally the only one available. Minato immediately sent me out to find him, leaving you in a crib in his office. It was urgent since the ' _rich old lady_ ' you mentioned was  _desperate_  to find him."

Naruto's eyes were wide, his attention completely on his mother's story. "Did you find him, kaa-chan?"

"Yeah, I sure  _did_!" Kushina let out a hearty laugh. "By the time I found him, it was almost dinner, so I was grumpy. Tora-kun was apparently hiding inside a warehouse. When I approached him, I was in such a bad mood that he behaved when I grabbed him and went towards the Hokage Tower."

Naruto gulped, imagining the poor cat, frozen in terror as he was confronted with the scary image of his mother, her eyes cat-like and red and her hair standing up on their ends.

"Ah… Ahahaha…" chuckled Naruto nervously, rubbing the back of his head. Fear crept up in his chest, rising towards his throat. "I—I see…"

"Let me come along when you go catch him next time," Kushina told him with a wink as she led him towards the dining room. "I'll see if he still remembers me."

 _There's no one in the world who'd ever forget kaa-chan when she's in scary mode…_  Naruto thought to himself, swallowing.

Kushina kept on chatting with him, her voice soft and warm while her words were lengthy. Naruto merely kept silent and listened to his mother talk, relishing the feeling of actually  _having_  a mother in his life. Whenever he thought about what he had missed out on, he could almost feel the tears welling up in his eyes. Nowadays, he cried more often, causing Kushina to teasingly call him a crybaby. Minato was more considerate, only encouraging his son with his usual, perpetual warm voice.

She was tending to his wounds, nursing them with cotton, bandages, water, and alcohol. There was pain, of course, but it was easily negligible. There was nothing that could ruin his happy mood. His mother, here… His father, his team, his friends…

Jiraiya…

What mattered right now was how he was going to protect them all until the end.

* * *

• • •

* * *

"Scrub it  _properly_!"

"All right, all right! I get it!"

Iruka sent him one last death glare before turning back to grading his papers. Naruto, on the other hand, stuck his tongue out at him rebelliously before going back to cleaning the walls of the classroom.

 _How nostalgic..._  he thought to himself.  _I never thought I'd go back to cleaning up after my messes..._

He sent a glance towards Iruka, who was momentarily not paying attention to him.

_Iruka-sensei..._

_"Naruto…"_

_Iruka took a seat beside him, giving him a bit of space after seeing Naruto's tear-stained face._

_"I heard about Jiraiya-sama."_

_"…" Naruto only continued to have a dull look in his eyes._

_Then he spoke._

_"I wanted him to keep watching me… I wanted him to be here when I become Hokage." A melancholic smile curved his lips. "To have him see me do more than just screw up… Heh…"_

_"Jiraiya-sama had nothing but praise for you," Iruka told him with a reassuring smile. "He'd brag constantly about you, how you were practically his grandson._ _How you were a man who had inherited his spirit. He never doubted for a minute that you'd grow up to be a wonderful Hokage." Then he stood up, slowly making his way over to Naruto's side. "Jiraiya-sama will always be watching over you. I'm sure he's looking down on you now, wherever he is. But if you just sit around sulking, he won't be able to brag about you. So…"_

_He took one of the sticks holding the popsicle in Naruto's hand. "Don't stop being the person who earned all that praise. Be yourself… and cheer up!" He then snapped the popsicle in half. "You're Jiraiya-sama's prize pupil — the man who he acknowledged as being the best." He gave one of the sticks to him._

_Naruto slowly took it. "Thanks… Iruka-sensei."_

"Why are you staring at me and not doing your job?" Iruka's irritated voice snapped him out of his thoughts. "I _swear_ , Naruto, if you're thinking of playing  _another_  atrocious prank again..."

"No, I wasn't!" Naruto protested. "I was thinking of something else!"

Unfortunately, Iruka didn't look convinced.

_"Naruto, you also must have been in a lot of pain… I'm sorry, Naruto... If only I did a better job… You wouldn't have to feel like this."_

"If you don't have any more clean water, you can go refill that bucket yourself in the restroom," Iruka said before continuing to grade tests.

Naruto continued to steal glances at him, nostalgia and melancholic feelings throbbing dully in his chest.

_"There's no way that demon fox wouldn't try to use the power of the scroll. Unlike what you're assuming," Mizuki taunted._

_"Yeah…" Iruka said. "The demon fox would do that…_

_"But Naruto is different…_

_"I've acknowledged him as… one of my excellent students. He may not be the hardest worker… and he is clumsy and no one accepts him…_

_"He already knows what it is to feel pain inside your heart._

_"He isn't the demon fox. He is a member of the Hidden Leaf Village."_

In this timeline, he and Iruka didn't share that kind of history anymore. In this world, he was no longer an orphan. In this world, Iruka was also no longer an orphan. Both of them were now happily living their own lives. Lives which they didn't get to have.

Gone were the moments they shared. Like they never existed. But it was still vividly present in Naruto's heart. He knew that he would never forget the first person who acknowledged him when no one else cared about him.

_"What the hell is going on out there?!" Naruto demanded._

_Iruka looked at him straight in the eyes. "…War. Madara's making his move."_

_"!?"_

_"Iruka!"_

_"I think it's time we stopped lying, Gen-san," said Iruka. "Naruto's no fool. Our only choice now is to explain the situation rationally."_

_"Yeah, explain why I should sit on my ass and hide while my friends and comrades are out there suffering and dying!" Naruto uttered strongly._

_"Because we're fighting this war…" Iruka said firmly. "…to protect you!"_

_"!?"_

_"Madara is hitting us with the full brunt of his forces. He's determined to capture you and Killer Bee-san once and for all. If he gets his hands on the Hachibi and Kyūbi, he'll complete his technique and the world will be doomed! By protecting you, we're protecting our future itself!_

_"Yes, people are putting their lives on the line to protect you. Naruto… your battle this time is a battle with yourself… to wait, and endure."_

_"Let's go back inside," Iruka urged, taking Naruto's silence as thoughtfulness._

_But Naruto stared at him in determination._

_"I'll end this war myself!" he exclaimed with conviction in his tone. "I'll endure all the hate and pain on my own! That's my role!"_

_"Are you listening to me?!" Iruka said. "You have the Kyūbi inside you! This isn't just your problem, Naruto!"_

_"You were the first person to recognize me!" Naruto shot back. "Why is it that now you're only worried about the_ _Kyūbi_ _?! Why don't you_  trust _me?!"_

 _"Stop acting like a baby!" Iruka yelled. "You wanna know what I_  really _think of you?!"_

_"I think you're one of my most precious students… and…" The look on Iruka's face was that of stern honesty. "You're like a little brother to me."_

_Naruto stared at him in surprise._

_"The enemy leader is personally coming after you… How could I even fathom letting you out there to face him?" Iruka elaborated. "And you're_  not _alone… you don't need to shoulder the entire burden yourself."_

_"I'm not that kid anymore…" Naruto said. "I'm stronger than I've ever been. You're the one who gave me that forehead protector, Iruka-sensei."_

Naruto unconsciously stopped wiping the walls, his head tilted downwards as the revelation of what was truly happening dawned upon him.

It was true that he — that  _they_  — had been given a chance to make things right. It was true that this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for him to be able to fix things, to prevent the devastating war from happening again.

However...

It seemed that some things had to be sacrificed for the greater good.

Like important, unforgettable bonds that never got to form again.

_"What's this…?" Naruto pulled out a folded piece of paper from the forehead protector Iruka gave to him earlier and began to read its contents:_

_I expected you'd try to rush out to the battlefield right away. I know you're ready to fight._

_If you're reading this letter, it means I couldn't stop you._

_Tsunade-sama ordered us to the Hidden Cloud's secret island to guard you and delay you from leaving as long as possible. I'm writing this letter just in case things don't work out like I want them to…_

_Which is pretty pathetic considering I'll be on an official mission. But if that's how it goes… I don't know if I'll manage to give this to you or not, but there's something I need to tell you._

_In fact, now that you've left, it's the only thing left to say._

_Come back alive, Naruto!_

Naruto managed a smile as he looked at Iruka one last time.

_Iruka-sensei... We may not now have the bond that tied us together in my world..._

_But I will always remember you..._

_...as one of the people who I will love no matter what._

* * *

**end of volume 02**

* * *

• • •

• •

•

* * *

**OMAKE/EXTRA**

* * *

"He's _late_ ," Naruto muttered darkly.

"When has he  _ever_  been early?" Sakura added sourly.

Sasuke said nothing, but frowned when he saw the cameraman pace back and forth in impatience.

"Oji-san," he called out flatly. "Can't we take the picture now and just paste Kakashi's face on the photo or something?"

The man looked scandalized. "No!  _Absolutely_  not!" he insisted. "This is a once in a lifetime picture!  _Everyone_  in the team has to be present!"

Sasuke looked faintly disappointed.

Naruto grumbled to himself. "I swear, if he pulls on that ' _black cat crossed my path_ ' line again, I'll—"

"Hello!" And speak of the devil: Kakashi appeared before them in a poof, his hand raised in both apology and greeting. "Sorry I'm late. You see, a black cat—"

" _AAARGH_! I  _KNEW_  IT!" Naruto cried out, pointing at his teacher accusingly. "YOU REALLY DON'T HAVE  _ANY_  OTHER LINES, DO YOU?!"

Kakashi sweatdropped. " _Eh…?_ "

"Cut the comedics and pose for the picture already," muttered Sasuke, already irritated from the heat. Sure, an occasional gust of wind blew by, sending momentary pleasant chills down their skin, but it was in the middle of summer. The sun's rays would still eventually overpower any coolness they had at their disposal.

Naruto snickered. "Sasuke sounds like an old lady!"

A vein pulsed on Sasuke's temple.  _No_. He would  _not_  get worked up on this. He was twenty-five years old in a seven-year-old body. He was  _mature_. He now rarely got affected by anything negative other than simple, shallow dislike.

However, Naruto was  _always_  the one with the uncanny ability to annoy him  _this_  greatly.

"Naruto, stop taunting Sasuke-kun." The slightly timid kunoichi of their team reverted into an angry girl jumping into the defense of her crush. "Let's just take the picture and get it over with.  _Without fighting_."

Naruto swallowed. " _Y_ — _Yes_!" he immediately agreed, coming to her left. Sasuke took his place on her right, while Kakashi sheepishly stood behind them.

The cameramen adjusted his lens, focusing them on the team.

Naruto glanced at Sasuke, whose face was monotonous. "Oi, Sasuke! Smile a little!"

"…Shut up," Sasuke gritted out.

Sakura glared at Naruto. "Stop pestering Sasuke-kun!" she scolded.

Kakashi rubbed the back of his head. "Well… this isn't going well…"

"C'mon! It's going to be our greatest team picture ever!" Naruto exclaimed, catching Sasuke's attention.

Sasuke blinked slowly.  _Team picture_ … He glanced at Kakashi, who told Naruto to calm down and mind his own business. The latter, on the other hand, was grumbling along the lines of " _But photos like this last a lifetime…_ ". Sakura looked irritated, but kept her ground.

The cameraman waved at them, annoyed. "Stop yakking and pose! The camera's ready!"

Naruto beamed. Kakashi placed both his hands on his male students' heads with a sheepish grin. Sakura tilted her head slightly and gave her best smile.

Sasuke let out a small breath that he hadn't realized he'd been holding.

" _Smile_!" the photographer announced before taking the picture.

Days later, when Team 7 excitedly made their copies for themselves as well as for their respective families, they marveled at the rare sight of Uchiha Sasuke's soft eyes and equally gentle smile.


	9. Chapter 9

**VOLUME 03** :  **STEEL**

CHAPTER 3.1

* * *

At this time of the year, Konoha's nights were chilly and dark. The streetlights were on, yet their illumination seemed too dim to be able to shine clearly through the blackness of the surroundings. Less people frequented the streets, and more stores closed up early. Winter was coming, signaling its beginnings through the cold air and cloudy sky.

Sakura looked out the window of her room, feeling oddly contemplative. Discreetly, she covered her injured hand with her blanket, not wanting any questions to surface concerning how she got it. Her parents had the habit of occasionally slipping inside her room to check on her during the night, a "routine" which they developed back when she was a child due to her unusual trances. Just to appease them, she researched the condition in the library and found that it was a common occurrence in very young children, especially when they were still developing chakra. Chakra was not harmful in one's body, but there were some instances wherein even babies were sensitive to it, going to the point where they'd have some difficulties adjusting to this energy in their bodies. There were some that had trances like she did, so she told this to her parents and they promptly lessened their visits at her request.

It wasn't as if she was embarrassed at their actions, but she was a growing girl now, and she wanted to be independent. She also wanted to reassure them; she did not like seeing the concealed worry in their eyes. She knew that they tried to hide it. Her father, through his terrible jokes, and her mother, through her stern, strict façade. She didn't want them to worry anymore.

Just like her hand, it was of trivial concern.

* * *

• • •

* * *

The doors slid open behind him, though he did not react. He already knew who it was even before the person approached him.

"Sasuke." Itachi's voice was laced with concern. "What are you doing out here?"

"Nii-san," Sasuke greeted, his eyes still glued to the night sky.

"You've been doing a lot of brooding lately," said Itachi, a hint of amusement in his tone. "Aren't you cold?"

Sasuke shook his head. "I'm fine. I'm just… thinking."

He still could not get the time travel reality out of his head. It still seemed too good to be true. Was this truly not a trick? Was this not really some sort of scheme to make him lower his defenses?

Most of his life, dedicated to killing Itachi…

The truth of the Uchiha Clan massacre…

Uchiha Madara…

Uchiha Obito…

His brother…  _Itachi_ …

Sasuke suddenly felt something warm cover his body. He turned his head towards Itachi, his eyes still wide in surprise.

"You'll catch a cold," Itachi admonished, though it was clear to Sasuke that he was trying his best to sound stern but failing to do so. Itachi had always had a soft spot for him, even when Sasuke blamed him wrongfully.

It caused a cold feeling to seep inside him. It was guilt, Sasuke knew, and it still  _hurt_. He loved his brother. Even when he hated him. People  _did_  say that there was a fine line between love and hate. If you hated somebody, you had strong feelings for them. Sasuke longed for his old relationship with Itachi, back when he was a young boy constantly pining for Itachi's attention and the latter occasionally indulging him with it. Now, Itachi was still busy with his ANBU duties, but Sasuke was less lax than he was back then due to being a full-fledged genin this early. Sometimes, Sasuke felt disappointed in himself for still not reaching Itachi's level; Itachi made chūnin at the age of ten and became captain of an ANBU squad at thirteen. Sasuke felt like he was trying to catch up to him. Yet, no, it  _wasn't_  actually the case the more he thought about it.

It was more like he  _wanted_  to catch up to his brother, but knowing that it was not really in his heart to do so.

He wasn't competing with anyone anymore. He didn't feel like it. The more time he spent in this world, with Naruto, Sakura, and Kakashi… he felt like he was changing.

No. Not changing…

It was  _never_  a change in the first place.

"So I've heard that Namikaze Naruto is your best friend?" Itachi's soft voice drifted into his ears.

It took a short while for his words to process in Sasuke's mind, but when it did, it caused the latter to snap his head towards his brother, his eyes wide once more.

"Wha… I don't know that idiot," gritted Sasuke, a wave of embarrassment filling him.

Itachi chuckled. "Why deny it, Sasuke? Naruto-kun even had the liberty to tell me about it himself."

Sasuke's head snapped up towards him in attention. "Huh?!"

* * *

• • •

* * *

_Itachi stared at the ANBU mask he was holding in his hand, his expression flat. The leaves from the Acacia tree nearby fluttered along with the sudden gust of wind, dancing with the flowing strands of his hair. He was leaning against the tree trunk, his sword point down on the ground._

" _Huh? Hey!" a voice called out._

_Itachi turned his head towards the source, his expression remaining the same. As he did so, he slowly concealed his hand which was not holding the mask behind his back._

_A blond-haired boy about Sasuke's age scampered up to him, his grin stretching across his face. The more Itachi looked at him, the more he realized that the boy looked familiar to him._

" _You're Naruto-kun, the Hokage's son," said Itachi with a small, soft smile as the boy finally came in front of him. "And my brother's teammate as well. What can I do for you?"_

_He knew that his and Naruto's families were close, but he was almost never at home and was often on duty, so he never really got to interact much with the young boy._

_Naruto was panting slightly from the sudden sprint he made, but he beamed at Itachi. "Yeah! And you're Uchiha Itachi, Sasuke's older brother!"_

_Itachi's smile did not fade. In fact, it even threatened to quirk up slightly at the sides._

What an interesting young boy…

" _Well, I just came here to tell ya that Sasuke's safe with me!" Naruto exclaimed cheerfully. "He's my closest friend, so don't you ever worry about a thing, dattebayo!"_

_At that moment, a faint yell drifted into the surroundings, and Naruto turned around._

" _Eh? That must be kaa-chan calling me!" Naruto turned back to Itachi, giving him a friendly wave. "See ya, Itachi-nii-chan!"_

_Itachi watched him go, shaking his head in amusement._

* * *

• • •

* * *

Sasuke's face was adorably red. "He… called you ' _nii-chan_ '?"

"Yes." Itachi tried to hide a smile at the sight of his younger brother's face, but failed. "Why? Are you happy?"

Sasuke sputtered in disbelief. "N—No way! Me, being implied as  _brothers_ with that moron?! I'd rather die." He was about to turn his head away when he caught sight of something. "Nii-san, that…"

"It's nothing, Sasuke." Itachi affectionately ruffled his brother's hair. "Don't worry about it."

Sasuke looked slightly unconvinced, but let it go anyway. "If you say so…"

Comfortable silence ensued between them. Sasuke stared up at the sky, seeing numerous stars blinking brightly back at him. He thought back to when Team 7 laid down on their backs, looking at this same sky. He and Naruto only looked for brief moments before turning to their sides and going to sleep. Kakashi was also on his side after watching for a short while, reading his book. It was only Sakura who continued to watch, wedged between him and Naruto.

_I wonder… am I… really…_

… _worth it…?_

Itachi's body warmth engulfed his side. Sasuke could feel his brother watching the stars with him, his head lifted skywards and his posture slack.

Sasuke smiled.

… _Either way, I'm thankful._

* * *

• • •

* * *

"Good morning!"

"Good morning, Sasuke-kun."

Sasuke did not even spare his teammates a glance. "Morning."

"Man, Kakashi-sensei still isn't here," Naruto mused. "I bet you he's gonna make us wait again!"

Having nothing to do, he turned to Sakura. "Hey, Sakura-chan—"

"Go away, Naruto," Sakura said without missing a beat.

"Eh?" Naruto slumped his shoulders in depression. "That's too harsh, Sakura-chan..."

"Be quiet, idiot," Sasuke remarked flatly. "Hearing your voice annoys me."

"Not you, too, Sasuke!" Naruto complained with a glower.

Sasuke sent Sakura a sidelong glance. Her head was leaning downwards.

When Kakashi showed up to meet his team ( _read: two hours later_ ), he was greeted by the sight of an annoyed-looking Naruto, a slightly daydreaming Sakura, and a nonchalant, disinterested Sasuke. Kakashi sighed inwardly.  _A dysfunctional team, indeed._  Sometimes, he was envious of Kurenai's team. Inuzuka Kiba was a little on the brash side, but he had no problem cooperating with his teammates. Aburame Shino was a silent, slightly disturbing character, but he was reliable. Even timid Hyūga Hinata went along well with her team.

But Kakashi knew that he could never have any other team other than Team 7.

* * *

• • •

* * *

"All right," said Minato as his eyes skimmed over the papers, "your next mission is to walk Lady Hinako's bulldogs by the park—"

"What?!" Naruto complained, collapsing to the floor. " _Another_  lame mission?  _Really_ , tou-chan?!"

Minato took his eyes off the paperwork and smiled at his son slightly. "Naruto, you know better than to call me that here."

Naruto pouted. "Okay, okay, Hokage-sama…" he muttered. "But I'm sick of all these lame D-Rank missions! I want some action! You know, a  _real_  mission!"

Sasuke shook his head, mildly amused.  _That's a similar line from what he told the Third Hokage back then… Some things just never change._

_Although I doubt that we'll be given the Wave Mission. It's too early in the timeline for that._

"Naruto!" Sakura scolded, turning pink in embarrassment.

Kakashi face-palmed.

Minato looked positively thoughtful. "Hmm… a  _real_  mission, you say?" He searched his roster, unaware of the shocked look Iruka gave him.

"Yondaime-sama…"

"Ah, then how about this?" Minato sent Team 7 a knowing smile. "You three are to escort a merchant back to his homeland in Suna. There isn't going to be anything dangerous; he only needs protection from possible bandits or rogues. He  _is_  a bit on the wealthy side, after all. It's a C-Rank."

"…Suna?" Naruto echoed, his eyes wide in surprise.  _Kankuro, Temari, Gaara…_

 _Gaara_!

"All right!" Naruto cheered, raising a fist in the air excitedly. "You're the greatest, tou-cha — I mean, Hokage-sama!"

Iruka hastily stood up from his seat. "Yondaime-sama!" he protested. "As former teacher of these three, I don't think they're ready for that kind of mission yet! I—I suggest giving them missions near Konoha instead..."

"Don't worry. Kakashi's with them," assured Minato, looking at the man mentioned. "He'll keep them out of danger if anything happens."

Iruka still looked a little unconvinced. "But…"

Naruto glanced at his former teacher.  _Iruka-sensei…_

"What do you think, Kakashi?" Minato asked.

Kakashi looked at his team. They were barely seven, with short legs and small bodies. They looked like they could break easily when threatened, and their ages were a little too young to be starting on their venture towards the path of a ninja.

But he knew that Naruto was strong. He was brave, loud, a little reckless for his own good, but he was no doubt capable, especially with that stamina of his. He knew that Sasuke was a prodigy in his own right, armed with quick and critical thinking as well as speed.

What he wasn't sure about was Sakura, but if ever something happened during the mission, he was fairly confident that he could protect them.

He made a mental note to check on Sakura whenever they had a break.

"I think my team is more than ready, Minato-sensei," Kakashi answered.

* * *

• • •

* * *

"Suna?"

"Yeah."

"Gaara?"

"Yeah."

"The Ichibi?"

"Yeah."

Naruto stared at Sasuke, who looked like he was deep in thought. "You have a plan or something?"

Sasuke released his fist from its position below his chin. "I'm not sure we should interfere with Gaara's life at this time."

"Huh?" Naruto stood up, surprised. "Why not?!"

"Konoha and Sand may be solid allies right now thanks to your father, but we're not sure if Orochimaru has already started deceiving the people there. And if the Sand's kage isn't Orochimaru, Gaara's father, from what I've heard from Itachi, is not exactly a nice man, let alone to his children. I doubt he'd let you go near Gaara or any of his siblings."

"But Gaara's life is so lonely!" Naruto protested. "He has to have at least one friend who cares about him this early!" He stood up from his sitting position on the grass, dusting off the dirt from his pants and giving Sasuke a determined stare. "I don't care what anybody else says. I'll befriend Gaara no matter what!"

Sasuke looked at him. Naruto was still glaring at him, and even though he had a short, sloppy stature because of being a teenager in a young kid's body, Sasuke felt that same strong aura Naruto always harboured, whether or not he did it unconsciously. It was as if they were both seventeen again, and he was looking at his greatest rival, them standing side by side as they fought in the warfront.

"…Heh. Thought you'd say that." Sasuke stood up as well, leisurely picking himself up. "Do whatever you want. We're just little kids, anyway."

Naruto's eyes widened, catching the hidden meaning in Sasuke's nonchalant words.

"All right! Let's do this, partner!" Naruto exclaimed, grinning.

"…Who're you calling ' _partner_ ', you numbskull?"

"What did you just call me?!"

* * *

• • •

* * *

"All right," Kakashi said, moving so that he was situated in front of his team. "The trip to Suna takes three days, so I hope you've all prepared yourselves."

Naruto, Sakura, and Sasuke gave prompt nods.

"Good. The client will be meeting us in five minutes, so we will wait for him."

Naruto stretched his arms. "Hey, Sasuke, whatcha got there?" he asked, seeing his teammate take out and inspect a scroll from his knapsack.

"It's nothing," Sasuke replied. "Just a precautionary measure."

Naruto frowned, thinking about Gaara. There was no doubt in his mind that he was going to save his friend. However, if Gaara's father, the Yondaime Kazekage, made it difficult for him, then Naruto would make sure to change the man's mind. What kind of person would bring up a son with such a lonely existence? Gaara, in contrast to him,  _did_  have a father, but that same father made him feel like an outcast. Naruto didn't know the story behind Gaara's past, but he was sure that no matter what obstacle came his way, he would deflect them, just like he always did.

_Tou-chan, kaa-chan, wish me luck!_

_I hope Gaara receives me well…_

_But what if… he doesn't?_

Naruto let out a breath, pushing his thoughts away. He'd have to cross that bridge when he got there. He was given this chance to fix everything in his power, and he wasn't going to let it slide.

His eyes found Sakura, standing to the side not too far away, her expression contemplative. Naruto knew that this was her first time going out of Konoha's borders. She didn't have a problem back when they were sent to Wave, so he didn't think that she was scared. But there was something in her eyes, in her face, in her stature… that made Naruto despondent over the fact that she was not the Sakura he had gone through a lot with. This Sakura was of the past, bearing personal insecurities and lack of effort in her strength.

"Sakura-chan!" he called out to her, moving to her side. "Hey, hey… what's with those bangs, by the way?" he remarked casually.

Sakura hesitated. "It's none of your business, Naruto," she said cagily.

"But they're hiding your forehead!" Naruto complained. "I like your forehead. It's really pr—"

"What?" Sakura said, clearly irritated. "Because it's so big?"

Naruto was taken aback. "N—No, I think it's really—"

"Save it." Sakura turned her back on him.

Naruto took a step back, hurt. In the past, Sakura never really liked him very much, even showing contempt towards him occasionally. But he didn't mind, because he liked her. He was always crestfallen at her rejections, of course, but he always believed that she had a pretty face, a smart brain, and a good heart. Being teammates with her just gave him more insight into who she really was.

He was about to reach out towards her, to try again, when an arm gripped his shoulder, preventing him from his attempt.

"Leave her alone," Sasuke said, his voice betraying nothing. "The client is here."

"But…" Naruto glanced at Sakura, who had now turned around slightly to see their client. Her eyes were dim.

"She's not going to listen to you." Sasuke released his hold on Naruto's shoulder. "She's unusually too sensitive right now."

"So you're saying that I shouldn't do anything?" Naruto gritted out.

"Calm down. I didn't say that," Sasuke said coolly. "We have three days. You can use some of our break time to get close to her, since we're a team."

Naruto watched as Sasuke walked over to Kakashi, who was now beckoning them to come over and meet the client.

"Me?" Naruto said in a tone that caught Sasuke's attention. "Not ' _we'_?"

Sasuke ignored him, coming to Kakashi's side. Naruto followed, still frowning. Sakura lagged behind a little, but wore a small, somewhat forced smile as they all gathered.

"Naruto, Sasuke, Sakura," Kakashi said, "this is our client. His name is Tanshi Konno, a merchant from Suna. Konno-san, I am Hatake Kakashi, and these are Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura. We are Team 7 who will escort you back to Suna."

Tanshi Konno was an ordinary-looking man, wearing Suna's distinctive robes and a posh straw hat. He was carrying a medium-sized cart with him, filled with products and goods placed in crates. Some unique-looking relics were tied to the cart along with the crates to prevent them from falling throughout the journey.

"Ah… H—Hello…" Konno said nervously. "Um, how… old are they, Kakashi-san? Are they really…?"

"Yes, they are full-fledged genins," Kakashi answered readily. "They are seven years old, graduated early from the Academy due to their skills and…" Kakashi glanced at Naruto. "…intelligence."

Naruto growled. " _Hey_!"

Kakashi gave a short chuckle. "Anyway, you can count on us to protect you, Konno-san. I presume that we will only be looking out for bandits?"

Konno nodded, some of his nervousness melting away at Kakashi's confidence. "Yes. I… I've been attacked more than once by those blasted bandits… Took away my prized goods. Been scared of them ever since." He took a napkin out of his pocket and wiped the cold sweat from his forehead.

"The  _same_  bandits?" Sasuke inquired.

Konno nodded. "Yes… They wore different masks the second time, but I recognized those tattoos… Yes, they were the same people…"

"Tattoos?" Kakashi brought up, looking thoughtful as he assessed this information. "What do these tattoos look like?"

"There are six of them," Konno explained, his words hasty in fear, "and they all wear these same  _hagane_  (鋼) tattoos on their arms."

"But how do you know they're the same people?" Sakura spoke up. "You said they were wearing different masks the second time they stole from you. What if they are just other members part of an organization?"

Konno blinked. "I… I haven't thought of that… But they  _do_  have similar builds to the ones who attacked me the first time…"

"We will have to see for ourselves if we encounter them on this journey," Kakashi said, slinging his pack over his shoulder. "Then we'll decide what to do from there."

His three genins gave prompt nods, signifying their understanding.

Kakashi nodded back. "All right. Let's move out!"

* * *

• • •

* * *

The ground was muddy. It had rained the night before, so it was nothing suspicious. Naruto trudged along the trail in the forest, his senses alert. It had been difficult to adjust to his younger body, what with learning how to balance himself with an unfamiliar weight, shorter arms and legs, and a shorter torso. It took him time to enhance his taijutsu, and he still wasn't even halfway done. His chakra levels were also drastically different from what he had back in the future, so his techniques became limited as well.

But if they were ever in a pinch, he would never waste a second in asking for Kurama's help.

Naruto's gaze inadvertently landed on Sasuke's form, causing him to frown. Sasuke had always been a jerk, but Naruto believed that he couldn't be  _that_  unfeeling. Was he the only one who actually  _cared_ about Sakura? Even though she wasn't from the future like he and Sasuke were, it just wasn't right to leave her out and be civil. He wanted to become close to her again. They were a  _family_.

Was he wrong about Sasuke? He thought he had seen hints of concern from him regarding Kakashi and Sakura back when they were battling Kaguya. He definitely hadn't mistaken it.

Then what had changed? Back in this timeline, Sasuke seemed to be as cold as ever, except to him. Naruto figured that it was because they both came from the same timeline. However, it rubbed him the wrong way.

Or was he just overthinking this? Naruto sighed to himself internally. This time-travel phenomenon had messed with his brain a little, causing him to think a lot more than he usually did. He felt like he was excited to change this, yet he felt afraid as well. There were even times when he confused his future with the present, and the past with the future. It was mind-boggling, to say the least. The timelines in his head mixed up occasionally and he didn't want to seem suspicious.

It was a good thing Minato and Kushina only regarded it as a part of his ' _crazy childhood_ ' phase.

Naruto sneaked a glance at Sakura. She was unusually quiet. Normally, she'd either fawn over Sasuke or talk about something that was on her mind. But now, her head hung low a little, and she cradled her hands in front of her.

Naruto's eyes narrowed.  _Wait… Were those…_

"Sakura-chan?" He came up to her and peered at her right hand. "Are those  _bandages_? Are you hurt?"

Sakura flinched at the sudden mention, reflexively hiding her hand from Naruto as she glared at him. "It's nothing," she said rather forcefully, hinting at him to drop it.

Naruto ignored her meaning, opting to grab her wrist and place her injured hand right in front of his eyes. "It doesn't  _look_  like nothing to me," he said, his tone brooking no argument. "What happened, Sakura-chan?"

She refused to look at him. He even noticed that she wasn't bothering to struggle herself out of his grasp.

Naruto's tight features went slack, his expression now borderline disconsolate. "…What are you hiding, Sakura-chan…?"

That prompted her to look at him, and he could now see that her eyes were glassy. His heart clenched. Just what was going on with her? Was  _this_  the reason why she was recently harsh with him? Because she didn't want him to know? Because she wanted to push him away so he wouldn't notice?

The Sakura of this timeline was not twelve years old. She was seven, like him, but her case was different. She was far more…  _subdued_  in her younger years. Timid and insecure, even. Which was why sometimes he thought that her personality was confusing. It felt like…

"Tell me," he urged her, his voice quiet and hard with determination. "Did someone hurt you? Tell me. You can trust me, Sakura-chan. I'll protect you, no matter who it is."

Sakura seemed to be in an internal debate with herself. Naruto didn't even register Kakashi's voice asking them what was wrong. He only waited for Sakura's response.

It was then at that moment that Sasuke came up to her other side, prompting her to look at him in surprise.

"Was my brother involved?" he asked her, his voice soft and quiet.

Sakura and Naruto's eyes widened.

"Itachi has an injured arm, coincidentally his right as well," Sasuke clarified. "Was he involved or not?"

That did it. Sakura burst into tears, the thin thread connecting her control breaking apart at the seams. Naruto stared at her, his grip on her wrist released as she brought her hands up to cover her face as she sobbed. Sasuke, on the other hand, looked like he was trying to slowly piece the puzzle together.

"I—I'm sorry…" Sakura said, wiping her tears. "I'm sorry I kept this to myself… Itachi-nii-chan told me not to tell anyone, but I can't do it anymore…"

Sasuke hesitated for only a moment before placing a warm hand on her shoulder, looking straight into her eyes. "Tell us," he told her.

It seemed to be enough of an encouragement for Sakura, because she took a deep breath before telling them the story.

* * *

• • •

* * *

_Dusk hung around the sky, signaling the beginning of the evening. Sakura panted as she wiped her sweat from her temple, staring at the target dummy in front of her. Her kunais had not even landed on the bull's-eye, making her feel slightly frustrated. Why was she not doing anything right?_

Tomorrow _, Sakura thought to herself as she wore her backpack._ I'll come back here tomorrow.

_With that in mind, she ran off towards the direction of her house. In a few moments, she stopped, weighing her options._

_It was the middle of the winter solstice, so the nights in Konoha, even though only in the early eventide, were darker than usual. It was going to be a little difficult to navigate through her surroundings since she had to pass through a trail near a forest to get home. For a moment, Sakura scolded herself for not watching the time while she was training._

_After a few minutes of debate, she decided to go through a quick shortcut so she wouldn't have to pass near the forest. It felt eerie at night._

_Sakura made a turn, going over towards a cluster of houses and then making another turn leading to an isolated area._

_She was there no more than two seconds when she was suddenly intercepted by a hooded person._

"You _," the figure growled. "You're one of those brats."_

_Sakura took a step back, her mind muddled in fear. She couldn't even see the face of the person; he was clothed from head to foot, and even his hands were enveloped by the long sleeves of his coat. The impending darkness only made him harder to see._

" _I—I don't know what you're talking about," Sakura stammered in dread, instinctively wrapping her arms around herself. "P—Please let me through… I…"_

_She could not say any more as a shriek pierced the air. It took her a moment to realize that it came from her lips._

_She whimpered in pain as she stared fearfully at the man who was suddenly in front of her, his fist lodged in her gut. She could feel the bile rising up in her throat as she choked, feeling all the air escape from her lungs._

" _I have to kill you," the man mused, "but I have a slight issue with murdering a little brat like you. I'd rather have you suffer instead and incapacitated." She could feel the malicious smile playing at his lips as he retracted his fist. "_ _This_ _will show you three," he said, picking up a stone on the ground nearby, "especially that Kyūbi brat, for being a_ nuisance _!"_

_Sakura could see her whole world spinning and moving in slow motion. She could see the man grip the stone in his hand, and then swoop it down towards her right hand._

_She screamed, but no voice came out. The pain was too much._

Make it stop _, she begged._ Make it  **stop**!

" _Now you won't be able to punch the ground into oblivion!" The man's words and heavy laugh reverberated like an echo into her ears. Her mind was in a haze. She couldn't feel anything but the pain. Everything was moving, and she felt like she was going to faint._

_Her panic rose when she saw that he was aiming for her right hand once more, intent on completely breaking its bones._

No…  **NO**!

**_Thump_ ** _._

_The stone was diving down._

**_Thump. Thump._ **

_It was near._

**_Thump. Thump. Thump._ **

_Sakura prepared herself for an ear-piercing scream._

_And then she felt it._

_Her body was immediately shoved to the side forcefully, her back landing on the rough ground. She let out a sharp cry, feeling the tiny rocks scrape against her skin._

_Still mildly dizzy from shock, Sakura's vision gradually adjusted through the haze, allowing her to see her rescuer._

_And her eyes widened._

_It was Uchiha Itachi, Sasuke's older brother. He was standing tall and defiant as he glared at the cloaked man, donned in his ANBU gear. Sakura's stomach twisted at the sight of his bloody arm. He must have placed it in the way between the stone and her left hand._

_Tears leaked out of Sakura's eyes._

_She was still in pain. Her middle felt like it was throbbing, and her right hand felt so hot, like burning charcoal. Her bones felt cracked and she was overcome by nausea. What was happening? What did that man mean? '_ You three _'… That had to mean her, Naruto, and Sasuke. And the '_ Kyūbi brat _'…_

_The_ _Kyūbi_ _'_ _s_ _vessel…_

_Namikaze Naruto._

_She was still whimpering. She didn't know how long she had been lying on the ground, but it felt like an eternity. Why nobody heard her screams, she didn't know. Perhaps it was because the area was a bit far away from the places with the usual crowds, and Sakura had noticed earlier when she passed by the nearby cluster of houses that the lights were out, indicating that the ones who lived there were either very much asleep or out at the moment._

_It was her luck that Itachi came to her rescue. If he hadn't…_

_Sakura didn't wish to continue that train of thought._

"… _Sakura-san?" Itachi's voice drifted into her ears._

_Sakura opened her eyes, not even realizing that she had closed them. "Itachi… nii-chan," she choked out, tears still streaming down her cheeks._

_Itachi gently scooped her up in his arms, taking care not to nudge the injured part of her stomach. Sakura was breathing heavily, the pain still searing inside her body._

" _I'll take you to the hospital," Itachi told her._

_Sakura wasn't listening anymore. She had drifted off into a fitful sleep._

_By the time she woke up, she was on a bed, her stomach and hand bandaged up. The monitor beeped, indicating her steady heart rate. Sakura glanced outside and saw that it was still evening._

" _Oh, you're awake," Itachi said from his position near the door. It looked like he had been about to turn the doorknob when he felt her stir. "I'm about to call your parents and tell them that you're here. They must be very worried—"_

" _No." Sakura was surprised at how stable her voice sounded. "Please… don't tell them."_

_Surprise graced Itachi's features. "No…?" he echoed, his tone coloured in mild disbelief._

_Tears welled up in her eyes. "Please don't tell them. They'll—They'll worry about me again… I don't want them to worry about me."_

_Itachi stared at her. Sakura gripped her blanket, pulling it a little closer to her. She felt much better now, except that there was still a dull pain throbbing at her injuries._

"… _All right." Itachi walked over to her and sat by her side. "The nurse said you need to stay the night to recover from the damage done to your stomach as well as the fracture in your hand." He gave her his best comforting smile. "You're lucky that it was mended quickly so as to not have a permanent affliction to your ninja career."_

_Sakura looked at him. "Did you… tell her what happened…?"_

_Itachi shook his head. "No. However, I will report this to the Hokage."_

_Anxiety gripped Sakura by the claws. "N—Naruto's father…?"_

" _Yes." Itachi gave a nod. "It is necessary."_

_Sakura took a deep breath. "Um… What happened with… with the man in the cloak…?"_

" _I managed to drive him away," Itachi responded promptly. "He seemed startled to see me there. Perhaps he did not expect anyone to… come to your aid."_

_Sakura nodded slowly, fresh tears leaking out of her eyes. "I—I see…" she choked out. "Thank you, Itachi-nii-chan…"_

_Itachi's features softened. "What is the matter, Sakura-san?"_

_Sakura broke at Itachi's inquiry. "I—I couldn't do anything… I was too weak. I let him hurt me… I—I'm a genin now, but all I could d—do was scream a—and be useless… I just froze in fear… If you didn't come for me, Itachi-nii-chan, I—I would've…"_

_Itachi watched as the little girl in front of him cried. She looked like a fragile little thing, wearing Konoha's headband. She was a young, talented girl based on the fact that she graduated the Academy early, but she was momentarily incapable of this._

_But the cloaked man was strong. And fast. Itachi had noticed that when he fought against him. He didn't know who was stronger between the two of them since both of them didn't show each other's true strength, but it was apparent that he was not one to take facilely. That man was fully capable of breaking bones just by using a mere stone; it spoke volumes of his strength alone._

" _You were no match for him," Itachi told her gently, "and it's not your fault. You haven't gotten to that point yet where you can defend yourself against enemies like him.."_

"…"  _Sakura stared at him, weeping slightly. "…Do you believe that… I will someday…?"_

_This time, Itachi smiled, resting a hand on top of her head. "Of course, Sakura-san. Now, please rest. You need to recover."_

_Sakura shook her head. "I—I can't, Itachi-nii-chan. I have to go home… My parents… they might be worried for me… Wh—What time is it?"_

_Itachi frowned minimally. "It's almost past dinner. You've only been asleep for two hours."_

" _P—Please let me go home… I want to go home."_

* * *

• • •

* * *

" _Sakura!" Mebuki exclaimed when she opened the door. "Where have you been? It's almost eight—"_

" _I'm sorry, okaa-san," Sakura said, forcing a smile as she inconspicuously concealed the sight of her bandaged hand from her mother. "My teammates and I trained late, and I'm tired. Can I go to bed?"_

_Mebuki's eyebrows knitted together in an indication of confusion and surprise. "Your teammates? You mean Naruto-kun and Sasuke-kun? And you're going to sleep now? What about dinner?"_

" _We ate at Ichiraku's," Sakura lied. "And I'm really exhausted. I'll be going to sleep now. Good night, okaa-san. Tell otou-san that, too."_

_Mebuki stared as her daughter listlessly trudged upstairs, her pace lethargic and her expression indeed weary, but it didn't seem like it stemmed from something like physical exertion._

_Mebuki shook her head._ I'm probably overthinking things.

* * *

• • •

* * *

_When Sakura came inside her room, she locked the door and collapsed onto her bed._

_She couldn't let Naruto and Sasuke know about this. Especially_ _Naruto_ _. Itachi was going to report the incident to the Hokage anyway, and she told him everything she knew on the way to her house. The Yondaime could take care of it. It didn't mean that Naruto_ _had_ _to know that he was in danger. Sasuke, too. And Itachi told her not to tell anyone._

_Naruto's father and Sasuke's brother could very well take care of them._

_Sakura noted, with a dull ache in her heart, that it was only her that didn't have anyone who could protect her._

_She had to lie low and avoid Naruto as much as possible. With Sasuke, it wasn't easy, but it was possible._

_Was this really the right thing she was doing, though? She cuddled her pillow to her chest, still mindful of the pain in her hand and stomach. She had left the hospital as discreetly as she could, with Itachi supporting her without a word._

_The cloaked man's dreadful words haunted her as she slept._

* * *

• • •

* * *

Naruto stared at her as she finished her explanation of what happened.

"You… didn't want me to know… because you didn't want me to get worried…?" he said slowly, the words barely registering into his mind.

Sasuke, on the other hand, was not so gentle. "You should've told us," he said in a hard tone. "This is important!"

Sasuke sent Naruto a glance that said,  _Someone_ _knows_ _about us?_

But Naruto wasn't looking at him.

"I—I'm sorry," Sakura sobbed, wincing at Sasuke's tone. "Itachi-nii-chan told me not to… He said it's not something you need to know about… He—He said he and the Hokage would take control of the situation."

Sasuke gritted his teeth. That meant that Itachi and the Yondaime would know that something was up. The outermost layer of their secret was already starting to peel off. Just  _who_  was that cloaked man?

Was it possibly…  _Obito_ …?

"Don't worry, Sakura-chan," Naruto finally said, gripping her by the shoulders reassuringly. "We're not mad at you." He sent a pointed glance towards Sasuke. " _Nothing_  will happen to you. I'll make sure of it."

Sakura stared at him with something akin to awe mixed with hope on her face. "Naruto…" She forced herself to look away, clasping her hands together as a sign of repressed fraught. "I… was scared because we're outside Konoha. I keep thinking that he'll find me again and—and finish what he didn't manage to do the last time…"

Kakashi and Konno watched the exchange, both quiet and not expressing a single word of complaint. Kakashi was listening to their conversation, his mind picking up the pieces and analyzing them. Konno, on the other hand, just felt confused, but stood there and tried to imitate Kakashi's attentive expression.

"And I'm a little confused about what he… told me about me punching… the ground or something," Sakura continued on, fretting. "I don't understand any of it. Am I supposed to know something? A—And how are the three of us a nuisance…?"

Naruto and Sasuke exchanged glances with each other.

Kakashi took that moment to interrupt. "Since we are all in no state to continue walking right now, we'll set up camp here. I will stay here and accompany Konno-san while you three provide the necessary materials. Naruto, you go gather firewood. Sakura, go replenish our water supply. There's a nearby river to our right. Sasuke, go with Sakura and try to catch some fish for dinner. Naruto, if you can finish with your task quickly, you can help Sasuke out with the food." Kakashi looked serious. "Stay together. Don't go too far. If you encounter something, throw a kunai towards our direction. I will know by the sound. Understood?"

Naruto, Sakura, and Sasuke gave prompt nods.

* * *

**tbc**

 


	10. Chapter 10

CHAPTER 3.2

* * *

It was nearly evening by the time Sasuke and Sakura arrived at the river. The forest was a little compacted, but the sound of the stream of water proved to be relaxing as Sakura immediately ran over to the edge and took out a couple of canteens from her knapsack.

Sasuke kneeled over the water, squinting at the fishes swimming below. There weren't too few of them, so it would do.

Without further ado, Sasuke took out two kunais from his pouch, assessing the rate at which the fishes swam by. He studied their pattern for a bit before deciding on an ideal spot on where he could toss his weapons.

_Thunk! Thunk!_

The kunais hit the fishes dead right at the middle, causing a bit of blood to leak into the waters. Sakura watched in awe, not noticing that her canteen was already overflowing.

Sasuke inadvertently glanced at her, and she jolted, immediately averting her gaze and going back to her business.

Sasuke took out his kunais and threw the fishes towards the land, their movements ceased. Sasuke turned back to the river and poised his kunais for a next strike.

Sakura finished with the canteens and placed them back inside her knapsack, zipping it up closed. She wore it around her back once more and tried not to look at Sasuke, waiting for him to finish. Normally, she'd offer to help him out, but he already seemed to be having an easy time of it on his own and she would probably only be a hindrance, anyway.

Sakura's brows knitted together in thought. Since when had she become  _this_  bold, anyway? It seemed like just yesterday, now that she thought about it, when she was a shy girl trying to adjust into the Academy. She was still severely lacking in the taijutsu department, and she had little to no ninjutsu skills. Her stomach still held some pain, albeit much better now compared to that day. She just couldn't move as fast as she wanted to.

"Let's go back." Sasuke's voice streamed into her ears.

Sakura stood up, still trying her best not to look at him. It suddenly felt awkward being alone with him now. She felt like she had gone through several different personalities before settling on one that fit her the most. She was still a little afraid of Sasuke, especially because he seemed to be a bit too quiet and she couldn't read his closed-off expression. Her hand was still throbbing slightly, and she doubted if she could use it to defend herself during these three days.

The walk back to camp was silent. It wasn't even a comfortable silence, either. This kind of quietness was stifling, and Sakura felt like she didn't have enough air to breathe in. She didn't want to strike up a conversation, but it felt wrong to not say anything.

"Sakura."

She snapped to attention at the sound of her name, turning towards Sasuke. He had an unreadable expression on his face, but it seemed like he had an internal conflict going on inside his head.

"…Sasuke-kun?" she said softly, tentatively.

Sasuke stopped walking, facing her. Sakura stopped as well, still confused.

"Um, what's the matter?" she asked.

"…I'm sorry," he told her quietly, looking straight into her eyes, making her heart skip a beat. "For being inconsiderate earlier."

Sakura stared at him. It wasn't easy for him to say those words; she could tell by the subtle way he was struggling with himself. And it was not even because of mere arrogance. It was more like… he wasn't used to it. Like he wasn't accustomed to being…

What…?  _Vulnerable_ …?

Or maybe it was out of regret… repentance…

"I'm sorry, too," she told him, sending him a message through her eyes. A warm message. "For keeping it from you. I… really thought that you… didn't need to know. I'm sorry, Sasuke-kun."

Sasuke looked startled, a surprisingly pleasant transition from his usual level expressions. Sakura found herself blushing slightly and fought to keep it down, not wanting him to feel uncomfortable.

"About your hand," he said. "How… is it?"

"Oh, this?" She held up her bandaged hand, noticing the way her fingers were still stiff. It wasn't yet fully healed, after all. She hoped that it would become good as new after the recovery process. "It doesn't hurt as much as it used to. It'll heal in no time."

Sasuke looked like he wanted to say more, but he was interrupted by the unmistakable sound of Naruto's loud voice approaching them.

 _That idiot…_  Sasuke thought to himself, twitching at the reverberating loud tones.  _He never_ is  _the stealthy type…_

"Naruto," Sakura admonished. "You shouldn't yell. The bandits will catch us here if they hear you."

Naruto cheerfully ignored her remark, opting to stare at her bandaged hand instead. "Does it still hurt, Sakura-chan?" he asked worriedly. Suddenly, a mischievous glint appeared in his eyes, one that Sakura did not like. "Want me to kiss it better? I'm sure it'll heal instan —  _OUCH_!"

Sakura had promptly karate-chopped him on the head. " _That_  one is out of the question," she said in a deadly voice, sending him a definite death glare.

Naruto gulped. Future Sakura or not, Sakura was still Sakura, and Sakura was very,  _very_  scary.

Before Naruto could sputter out an apology, an explosion sounded not too far away from them.

Bits of earth flew towards them from the impressive impact, as if someone threw a giant grenade onto the land. The trees bended along with the momentum, and the three genins covered their faces to keep from getting hit.

"That's—" Naruto started to say.

"—the direction of our camp!" Sakura realized, fear pooling itself in her stomach. "Kakashi-sensei and Konno-san are there! We have to save them—"

"Stop." Sasuke's hand gripped her shoulder. "We can't go over there just yet."

Sakura's eyes were wide as she faced him. "Sasuke-kun?"

"Oi, Sasuke!" Naruto protested indignantly. "What's with you, bastard? You saying that we shouldn't help Kakashi-sensei and Konno?"

"The enemies will be expecting us to run over there," Sasuke said calmly, his voice taking on a reasonable tone. The line holding the dead fishes was already dropped to the ground. "Kakashi can take care of himself. He is an elite jōnin. We, on the other hand, are still mere genin. We'll have to find a way to sneak into the area and find out what's happening without getting caught."

"But…" Sakura looked uncertain. "How can we do that? Kakashi-sensei didn't teach us how to mask our chakra…"

"Naruto and I know how," Sasuke said, sending a glance towards Naruto. "Sakura. You, on the other hand… if you don't know how, stick with us. We can mask you along."

Sakura blushed, but it wasn't the pleasant kind, Sasuke noticed. It was more as if… she felt a little humiliated at her inability.

But there was no time to reassure her. They had to move.

Concealing their chakra, Naruto held Sakura by the arm, with Sasuke holding her other one. Together, they slipped into the bushes and made their way slowly towards the site of the explosion. Sasuke activated his Sharingan and conjured a basic genjutsu to soundproof their movements. Naruto attempted to sense for presences around the area. Sakura, on the other hand, stayed fairly quiet, although she became a little alert.

"Kakashi-sensei and Konno are safe," Naruto reported, having detected Kakashi's tiny, almost imperceptible chakra signature with a little help from Kurama. "Kakashi-sensei's concealing himself and Konno by a foliage not too far away from our position."

Sakura, curious, was about to ask how he knew when Sasuke smoothly saved Naruto from being found out.

"All right, let's go towards them."

They sneaked through some more bushes and hid behind the trees, with Naruto and Sasuke keeping themselves alert. So far, there weren't any enemies in the vicinity. Perhaps they were either concealing themselves well, or they safely stayed out of the range of the explosion within a five-kilometer radius.

When they arrived by a forest near a small clearing, Sasuke gestured for them to stop. Then, he allowed a small slip of his chakra towards a tiny range 360 degrees. It was at that moment when a rustle beneath a large foliage caught their attention.

Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura watched as their teacher poofed into existence, his henge dropped. Beside him was Konno, looking terrified but relatively unscathed.

"You guys are just in time," Kakashi said nonchalantly. "Let's leave this place immediately and continue for Suna. You three protect Konno-san with all your might and I'll keep watch from the rear. There will be no breaks until tomorrow night. Full speed ahead."

"Got it!" Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura nodded, then flanked Konno by the sides. Naruto offered to carry Konno onto his back, seeing that the older man was tired. The latter was hesitant since Naruto was much smaller compared to him, but after being given words of reassurance, he relented, giving into his fatigue. Kakashi, who was overseeing their activities, raised an eyebrow at Naruto's offer but didn't bother to prevent an amused smile from forming on his face. Sasuke, on the other hand, took out a scroll and sealed the cart inside, giving a brief explanation to his wide-eyed team that it was Itachi who taught him this trick in order to minimize load for missions. The scrolls he had and the fūinjutsu he knew could only hold things weighing not more than 30 kilograms. It was a good thing that the cart didn't hold many heavy things aside from some medium-sized relics.

They set out as soon as possible, Sasuke still not deactivating his Sharingan. He was still cloaking them with a soundproof genjutsu. Hours passed, and Kakashi still seemed calm enough, meaning there wasn't anyone pursuing them at the moment. Konno was already asleep, and Naruto looked like he was going to complain loudly about the heavy weight on his back. Konno was  _not_  a thin man, after all.

It was at that moment when Sakura approached them, holding out a napkin in her hands. The material seemed to be holding something inside.

"Please take one of these, Sasuke-kun," she said, her eyes imploring. "They're… soldier pills which a medic from the Konoha hospital at the time where we had our third D-Rank mission gave to me as thanks for helping her out. She said that I might need it someday, and she's right."

Sasuke stared at the dark-violet balls of nourishment. Soldier pills usually increased the strength of ninjas, and at times also replenished their chakra. There was no reason to refuse one; they weren't going to be resting for a long while, after all.

"Thanks," he told her, popping one into his mouth. Not long after, he could feel the effects like a warm pool in his stomach, and then a pleasant surge of adrenaline pumping through his veins. A little like caffeine, but certainly more nutritious.

Naruto said his thanks, as well as Kakashi. Sakura took one as well, and then the five on them continued on their journey. Kakashi still hadn't told them about their mysterious enemy, but hopefully, they'd be able to take care of it as soon as possible before they arrived at Suna. Naruto still couldn't understand why they were running away; was their opponent really skilled, or was it because he disappeared into thin air?

Then, as if someone heard his thoughts, a kunai whizzed past Sasuke's ear, narrowly missing him by inches. The group immediately ceased in their tracks, falling into a defensive position. Naruto placed a now-panicked Konno near him, and Sakura rushed toward him with shurikens in hand. Sasuke, who had deactivated his Sharingan a little more than two hours ago, activated them again and prepared for battle.

In an instant, a figure appeared out of the cluster of trees, brandishing a giant axe in hand. Sasuke disappeared in a whirl and flickered behind the man, knocking him out with one blow and sending the large weapon flying until it came to a rest below Sakura's feet. The girl squeaked a little in surprise, but held her ground, her eyes darting around the surroundings for impending offenses. Naruto used his kunai to defend against a sudden attack from two men, making him occupied. Kakashi then found himself battling against two as well. Sakura inched closer to Konno, who was shaking in fear and muttering, " _It's them, it's them_ …"

Sakura did a headcount in her mind, her brain spinning in trepidation and determination.  _One… three… five…_  Konno had told them earlier back in Konoha that there were six of them.

Sakura's eyes widened.  _Where's the other one_  —

No sooner after she thought about it, a large broadsword came careening against her small kunai, causing her to fall to the ground while still trying to defend herself. Sasuke, who noticed this, tried to come to her aid, but was interrupted by one of Naruto's attackers. She was alone, and she and Konno were going to die if she didn't do something —

Her kunai broke from the sheer force, and Sakura's pupils dilated. This was it — she didn't have anything to defend —

 _Wait._  She felt something hard under her, and she instantly grabbed it without even looking, desperate to ward herself from the danger.

The giant axe collided with the broadsword, creating a massive clanking sound. Sakura's arms shook terribly at the heaviness of the weapon, but she forced herself to continue gripping it. She even went so far as to channel chakra through her fingertips without any idea of what she was doing,  _anything_  just to reduce the harsh pain. Her desperate tactic worked a little, seemingly reducing the massive weight and lightening a bit of the burden from her arms, but she still couldn't hold on much longer.

" _Sakura_ - _chan_!" Naruto cried out, finally defeating his opponent and rushing over to his female teammate. "Hang on! I'll save you!"

A small frisson of hope and relief bubbled up in Sakura's chest at Naruto's reassurance. Finding newfound determination within herself, she gathered all of her strength and attempted to stand up, forcing the enemy's broadsword back.

" _ **SHANNAROOO**_!" Inner Sakura roared, the yell spilling out of Sakura's own lips.

The man's eyes widened in shock when she finally managed to push him back, thereby making him come into Naruto's range of attack. Naruto snarled, a rasengan summoned in his hand. With one swift move, he slammed the jutsu on the man's back, sending him flying three yards into the trees.

Kakashi, who had his back to them and fighting off his own opponents, conjured streaks of lightning in his hand. The electricity cackled in the air, and it was the last thing the two men saw before Kakashi swooped them both with the deadly technique.

Sasuke finished off his opponent by lashing out fluidly with a few aggressive taijutsu moves, until the man was promptly knocked out on the ground with serious bruises on his body.

"You're okay now, Konno-san," Sakura tried to calm the frightened man, forcing a reassuring expression. "They're gone. We—"

Her words were cut off when sudden, hasty footsteps resounded in the forest. Sasuke whipped his head towards his team, his Sharingan eyes widening.

"Brace yourselves!" he shouted. "There are more than a  _thousand_  bandits coming this way!"

" _What_?!" Naruto exclaimed. "Damn… These six sure had a backup plan!"

Kakashi's eyes narrowed. "Guess there's no choice," he muttered, gripping his forehead protector. "You three, protect Konno-san from all sides!"

" _Hai_!"

Naruto took his place at Konno's right. Sasuke went into a defensive stance at the center while Sakura grasped the hilt of the axe uneasily, its blade already starting to slope on the ground. It was far too heavy for her to wield, and she was completely spent. She felt so useless as she stared at Naruto, Sasuke, and Kakashi's confident postures. She couldn't even stop her hands from shaking.

What could she do in this situation? A thousand bandits… This was  _overkill_!

Why  _so_  many bandits for a frightened, middle-class merchant?

Sakura popped another soldier pill into her mouth. It was a bit counter-productive to take too many of it in the span of one day, but she had no choice. She needed her energy.

Kakashi pulled up his forehead protector, revealing a familiar crimson which dyed his irises. Sakura stared in shock. That eye _…_  was similar to Sasuke's clan's trademark dōjutsu!

What was going on? She sneaked a glance towards Naruto and Sasuke and saw that they didn't look as much surprised as she did.

Did  _they_  know?! What… Why did she  _always_  feel like she was out of the loop? Everyone seemed to synchronize for some reason…  _except_  for her.

Kakashi turned to Sasuke. "Sasuke, from which direction are they coming from?"

Sasuke's eyes darted around. "They're trapping us from all sides," he said, gritting his teeth.

Kakashi cursed, making rapid hand seals. His movements were so fast that Sakura's eyes couldn't keep up.

" _Suiton: Hahonryū!_ "

In response, a torrential waves of water amassed from the ground, splashing towards north of the forest. Naruto could hear a few shrieks and screams coming from that direction.

If that was the case… "Kakashi-sensei!" he said, determination pooling in his blue eyes. "I'll take care of the ones on the left."

Sasuke looked at Kakashi. "I'll hold the ones on the right."

Kakashi nodded, turning to Sakura. "Sakura, keep Konno-san safe. Naruto and Sasuke will try to back you up in case anything happens. After I perform another technique, I need you to hold off some enemies coming after Konno-san until I quickly finish this up. Can you do that?"

Sakura swallowed, fear and pure uncertainty filling her gut. Could she do it? She could barely even wield the axe, let alone  _fight_  with it! She'd have to make do with her kunais and shurikens in the meantime.

"I—I can do it, Kakashi-sensei," she promised, dropping the axe and taking out two kunais from her pouch.

Kakashi paused for a moment, glancing at his female student. It was obvious that she was terrified, but there was something in her eyes.  _Trust_. She trusted him and her teammates to have her back.

Kakashi smiled. He was proud of them. He would  _always_  be proud of them.

"You're smart, Sakura. Don't worry about it. You'll find a way." Kakashi then faced the southern part of the forest, taking a deep breath before focusing his Sharingan eye on the wave of opponents coming his way.

" _Katon: Gōkakyū no Jutsu_!" Sasuke blew a great fireball from his mouth, incinerating more than a few number of bandits coming his way. The bandits were armed with various weapons: maces, swords, tonfas, kunais, axes… It made Sasuke wonder why their numbers were  _so_  massive. There didn't even seem to be at least one shadow clone. They'd just become exhausted in fighting them off at this rate. He and Naruto couldn't even use their best techniques because Kakashi and Sakura were there, and also because there were some techniques that needed a lot more chakra than what they currently had now.

Unless Naruto…

Meanwhile, Naruto clenched his hands into fists, charging at the numerous amount of bandits heading his way.

On the way, he chanted, " _Taj_ _ū_ _Kage Bunshin no Jutsu_!"

In an instant, hundreds of Naruto clones materialized, all of them rushing towards the bandits with vigour. The men squeaked in shock at the sudden numbers, but continued to fight. Naruto punched and kicked and beat up anyone who got in his way until only a few were left, and all of his clones disappeared with a poof because they were defeated.

"What're you guys waiting for?" He gave a triumphant, slightly cocky. Three-hundred clones might be his limit in his small body, but he still had far more tricks up his sleeve. "Come at me!"

The bandits that were left jolted and gladly dropped their weapons, running away in fear.

" _Ha_! They're scared of me!" Naruto pumped up victoriously. "Yeah, that's it! Run away, you cowards!  _Heh heh heh!_ "

" _Naruto_!" Kakashi hollered from his position, fending off a few large-muscled men. "Help Sakura!"

Naruto's eyes widened. "Sakura-chan!" he exclaimed, rushing over to his female teammate's direction. "Hold on!"

On Sakura's end, she struggled against a group of bandits. She wasn't ambidextrous; her left hand which was holding a kunai was sloppy in delivering attacks. Her right hand was faring better, but her injury throbbed from overexertion. It had been aching horribly ever since she gripped the heavy axe in order to defend herself, but she had no choice but to ignore the pain in favour of her life.

Was  _this_  the danger of a C-Rank mission? Just what the  _hell_  did Konno  _do_  to piss off  _these_  many people?!

Sakura squeaked in fear as one of the heavyset bandits gleefully caught her kunai and threw it away. Overcome with horror, she immediately buried her hand into her pouch, but faltered a little when she remembered her backup plan.

 _Is it… really necessary…?_  she thought to herself, swallowing.

The man, taking advantage of her scruple, used his strength to shove her forcefully, sending her whirling until her back hit the trunk of a tree.

Sakura gasped at the impact; she could feel the bile rising up her throat, and the unbearable throes of agony coming from both her back and her stomach, the latter in which was acting up again. She could practically see blurry, black spots in her vision, but she shook them away, not wanting to fall unconscious in the middle of battle.

 _The pain will have to come later_ , she chanted to herself, trying to keep from crying. Refusing to think about her next action further, she took out three explosive tags from her pouch. Focusing on where the enemies were, she saw that they were rushing towards her direction, intent on finishing her off. Sakura shut her eyes, then threw the tags.

An explosion sounded, and screams filled the air. Sakura could not help a tear that escaped from her eye. However, she forced herself to stand up, her eyes darting around for any more enemies.

Inner Sakura took that moment to speak in her mind, echoing her words. Her tone was unusually solemn.

" **The pain comes later**."

Sakura gave a sharp nod, then took out three more exploding tags and threw them at the directions where groups of bandits were angrily approaching her. Explosion after explosion occurred, until she had no more explosive tags left. She slumped to the ground, waiting for the others to finish their fights. She hoped that they would come in time to help her if ever there'd be someone left —

" _YAARGH_!" an enraged cry sounded from behind her, and Sakura could only hear a massive weapon swooping through the air right at her head —

"EAT  _THIS_ , BASTARD!" a familiar voice yelled, and Sakura heard the man's surprised shout before a body fell to the ground, seemingly knocked out.

Sakura trembled. She had had  _so_  many near death experiences lately that it wasn't even funny.

_This… is the life of a ninja…_

" _Sakura-chan!_ " Naruto exclaimed worriedly, his eyes raking over her form. "Are you okay? I'm sorry I'm late!"

"I—I'm fine, Naruto," Sakura assured shakily. "What about Kakashi-sensei and Sasuke-kun?"

"I'm finished with my side," Sasuke's deep voice sounded, and he appeared through the bushes, looking almost completely unscathed. Kakashi slipped through a cluster of trees, his forehead protector back in its usual place. He looked a little tired.

"Kakashi," Sasuke said.

Kakashi sighed. "I'll explain it to you three later. Where's Konno-san?"

Sakura stood up and walked towards a rather thick part of the forest. "I made him hide here earlier as fast as I could without anyone seeing," she explained, pointing towards a large foliage. "And I used a concealment tag to hide his presence."

"Where did you get a concealment tag?" asked Kakashi, impressed.

"From  _me_!" Naruto said proudly. "Kaa-chan's a master at fūinjutsu, so she gave me some of her cool stuff! I gave the tag to Sakura-chan so Konno won't get in the way."

"All right. Great job, you three," Kakashi praised sincerely. "You've shown a lot of promise. Not many genin are able to fend off a thousand bandits like that. Naruto, good work. Although I don't want to know  _how_  exactly you learned that forbidden technique…"

Naruto turned red in embarrassment and realization. "Uh… Yeah! Ehehehe… It's kinda a long story…"

Kakashi sighed again. "Sasuke, you displayed exceptional abilities. You defeated them all with mere speed and taijutsu. And you, Sakura," he said gently, turning to the girl who looked more weary than anyone else, "I commend you for holding your own. Naruto and Sasuke have trained themselves a lot and have garnered quite a few techniques, while you have your intelligence, raw potential strength, and bravery. You may think of yourself as ordinary, but you're getting closer to becoming an exceptional kunoichi. I want you to instill that in your mind, all right?"

Sakura nodded slowly, dazed at the praise. It gave her a lot more confidence, and she stood up a little straighter now. However, her wounds were now starting to get the better of her and she swayed in place.

Naruto ran towards her and supported her back, his expression greatly concerned. "Sakura-chan! What's wrong?"

Sasuke, who had been observing her, immediately took out an ointment from his pouch. "She's sore and injured. Let me place this on her wounds."

Naruto nodded, taking out some spare bandages. "Sakura-chan, we're gonna replace the bandages on your right hand, okay?"

"Okay…" Sakura said tiredly. The throbbing from her wounds felt dull now, and she couldn't think about anything other than sleeping for a whole week without ever waking up.

Kakashi watched his students for a brief moment before getting a scared Konno out of his hiding place.

"A—Are they gone?" the frightened man stammered.

"They're gone," Kakashi assured. "Now, Konno-san… Would you mind telling me why there are so many men after you?"

"I—I don't _know_!" Konno said defensively, wiping the sweat from his brow. "I had  _never_  seen them before in my life! They've attacked me  _so_  many times now and I don't know the reason  _why_!"

Kakashi peered into his eyes. "You  _do_  know," he drawled, "that if you lied and this is actually more of a B-Rank rather than a C-Rank, you will pay for the consequences?"

Konno gulped, perspiring profusely. "Y—Y—Yes, b—but I—"

At that moment, a loud voice reverberated in the surroundings.

" _Doton: Kengan no Jutsu!_ "

An arm encased in heavy rock narrowly missed Konno's head by inches. He would have been brain-dead,  _literally_ , if Kakashi hadn't swiftly gotten him out of the way.

"What?!" Kakashi gritted his teeth. He hadn't sensed any presence nearby, only the weak auras of the defeated bandits on the ground. Also, this opponent seemed good at masking his movements before he made an action.

Sasuke, who was in the middle of re-dressing Sakura's right hand, immediately shoved her gently behind him, going into a defensive stance. Naruto mimicked him, narrowing his eyes.

One of the six bandits who had been unconscious earlier was staggering on his feet, his hand shaking as the hardened earth covering it began to crumble to the ground. His eyes held pure, unadulterated hatred as he glared at Konno.

"You…  _pathetic_  little  _worm_!" he thundered. "Why you're still alive and hiring these stupid shinobi goes  _beyond_  reason! For what you did… I will never,  _ever_  forgive you!"

"B—B—But I haven't done a—anything!" Konno cried in terror.

" _Liar_!" the man growled, swinging his fist threateningly towards Konno. "How  _dare_  you simply forget about your slave business five years ago?! You piece of  _scum_! You  _killed_  my daughter and my best friend! I will  _never_  forgive you!" The man rolled up his sleeve, revealing an intricate silver tattoo. "Our organization is named  _'Steel'_. We are people who had gone through great hardship looking to seek revenge from the painful experiences  _you_  put us  _all_  through!  _Everyone_  here wants you  _dead_!"

"Wait, wait," Naruto said in shock. " _Slave_   _business_?! So you're all — ?!"

The man looked at him. "You're correct, young shinobi boy. I am Kiji. All of us bandits formed this group in order to get revenge on  _that man_!" He pointed at Konno, who squeaked in shock. " _All_  of us were his former slaves… slaves whom he tortured everyday and  _starved_! We always had little to no food, he gave us at least two grueling orders everyday, and if someone defied him, he'd have them killed in a second!" Kiji's eyes misted over. "That's why he killed my daughter and my best friend. Because they  _defied_  him!"

"Konno-san," Kakashi said, his voice only loud enough for Konno to hear, "is this true?"

Konno hung his head, ashamed. "I—I… It's…"

" _Him_?!" Naruto exclaimed in disbelief, pointing at Konno. "That scaredy cat did  _all_  that? He can't even hurt a  _fly_!"

Sasuke stayed silent, analyzing the conversation.

Kiji growled. "I am no liar! I remember it vividly as if it were yesterday. He may have aged a little, but there is no mistake! He's  _Tanshi Kino_ , the ruthless trader of Suna!"

"Tanshi…  _Kino_ …?" Naruto said slowly, confused. "Oi, oi, you've got the wrong guy! His name's  _Konno_ , not Kino! Right?!" He turned to Konno, who was still hanging his head low.

"…"

Naruto frowned. "Hey—"

"Naruto." It was Sakura's gentle voice that stopped him from saying any more. Naruto shut his mouth, but kept staring at Konno.

It wasn't until a few seconds that Konno finally spoke.

"You're not wrong."

Kakashi tensed. Naruto exploded into a " _WHAT_!". Sakura gasped. Sasuke gripped his kunai even tighter, narrowing his eyes.

Konno continued on as if there weren't any reactions. "…However, you are mistaken about one thing. I am not Tanshi Kino. I am his twin brother."

Silence permeated the surroundings at this revelation. A gust of wind passed, blowing Kiji's long strands from his face as he stared disbelievingly at Konno.

"You…" he gritted out. "You're  _lying_."

Konno lifted his head. His eyes were obviously terrified, but he kept his expression carefully neutral.

"I—I'm  _not_  lying!" he defended. "Kino… He—He died four years ago because of a mysterious illness. The Kazekage found out about his callous, widespread slave business and warned me about following Kino's footsteps. The news about my brother's treachery spread across Suna, and my family's reputation was tarnished." Konno's voice was now steady, and even held an underlying bitterness to his tone. "I worked hard and became a successful merchant in order to gain back respect from the people. Right now, my wife is working at the hospital and my two sons have just enrolled at the Academy." Konno stared at Kiji almost defiantly. "My family and I have  _no_  connection to Kino anymore! We didn't even know that he conducted a slavery business… When I found out about it, I felt betrayed. He and I had always trusted each other, and he helped me when my eldest son almost died from a contraction of pneumonia. I always wondered where he got lots of money from… a—and now I know…"

Team 7 was silent as they heard the whole truth. Konno may have been a bit of a coward, but his perseverance was admirable. His devotion to his family was even more so. Naruto deeply felt for him, and as did Sasuke. Kakashi was still silent in his position beside Konno, but there was no doubt that he was paying attention.

At least Konno didn't lie to them.

"That's… that's not true…" Kiji slumped to the ground, his anger slowly fading. "We  _hated_  Kino so much… When we first saw you trekking in the woods, you looked  _so_  much like that  _man_  that we attacked you instantly. We even stole some of your goods just to get back at Kino. We didn't kill you yet, because we wanted you to  _suffer_. To suffer like  _we_  did back when we were but mere, useless slaves." Tears leaked out of Kiji's eyes as he cried. "…A—And now you're telling me… that we've gotten the  _wrong_  guy all along…?"

Team 7 looked away as Konno approached Kiji, both of them talking quietly. Sasuke, it seemed, had gone back to kneeling before Sakura, dressing her hand gently. Naruto joined him, carefully dabbing at her small wounds with the ointment. He wasn't good at it, but Sakura was guiding him all the way patiently. The three of them were understandably conflicted and troubled by this sudden turn of events, but they gave the two some privacy of their own. Kakashi approached his students, his hands in his pockets, and looked up at the sky.

_It looks like everything has been resolved… and if we're lucky, we can make it to Suna in just a day before the incoming sandstorm hits._

* * *

**end of volume 03**


	11. Chapter 11

**VOLUME 04: CRADLE**

CHAPTER 4.1

* * *

They arrived at Suna in record time, with Konno giving them profuse thanks for protecting him effectively and promised to send good word to both the Hokage and the Kazekage.  _Steel_  had already dispersed, letting go of their hatred for an apparently dead man and finding a way to make a living after Konno himself persuaded them to make a new life for themselves since they were no longer locked up in cages, but free from their chains. With that, Konno and Kiji went on their separate ways, swearing that they would forget about each other from now on.

It was a good thing that no one was killed in their massive battle. Kakashi noticed that it gave Sakura a semblance of peace after knowing that. She was a trained ninja, but she was still young. From what he had gathered from her parents, she also harboured some insecurities of her own, and she felt too hesitant to fight someone. If she'd ever make her first kill, Kakashi would have to make sure that she was at least twelve or thirteen before doing it.

"Well, now that our mission's done," drawled Kakashi. "You three can go tour Suna if you like. We leave in three days after the sandstorm calms down. I'll see you in the nearest inn by the gate. Bye!"

He poofed out of existence before any of his three genin could question him.

"That stupid teacher… running off whenever he feels like it," Naruto grumbled.

Sakura looked around, mesmerized. Sunagakure may be a village hidden in the sand, but it had an almost otherworldly beauty about it in the way it was different from other countries. The weather was practically hot and a little smothering, but there were some interesting sights to see. The villagers looked at them with curiosity, but there were no hostile gazes so far. Of course, since Suna and Konoha were allies at the moment, no one wanted to break the peace treaty between the villages.

"Let's go look around," Sasuke suggested quietly, already walking ahead of them.

Naruto frowned, catching up to him. "Hey! Wait for me and Sakura-chan!"

Sakura lagged behind, still enthralled by the foreign country. It was her first time being outside of her home village, and it felt a little refreshing and scary at the same time.

"Hey, Sasuke," Naruto said. "Where do you think Gaara might be?"

"I don't know," Sasuke said neutrally. "Why don't you go find him yourself?" He turned around a corner, not even waiting for Naruto's response.

" _Eh_?! Hey, wait, Sasuke!" Naruto whirled around. "Sakura-chan —  _huh?!_ "

Sakura was nowhere in sight.

"…Why're you guys leaving me?" Naruto pouted. "All right, fine… I can find him on my own… Just you wait and see…"

Naruto walked aimlessly with his legs carrying him, his thoughts occupied by a chibi him throwing darts at a bull's-eye with chibi Sasuke's expressionless face on it. "Heh… Take that, ya smug bastard…" he muttered to himself in satisfaction, not noticing that he was about to hit a fence.

When his head collided with wood, he reeled back in pain, clutching his forehead in agony.

"Ow ow  _ow_! That  _hurt_!" Naruto complained, feeling a sore spot starting to form. "Stupid wall…"

Someone sniffed nearby in surprise, catching Naruto's attention.

"…A—Are you… okay…?" The voice seemed hesitant.

Naruto immediately turned to the source. As his senses became aware of what was around him, he noticed that he was in a deserted playground. There were no kids playing seesaw or sitting on the swings. Just a lone boy about his age sitting by the sandbox, his sky-blue, pupil-less eyes staring at him in confusion.

Naruto could recognize that distinct red hair anywhere.

Naruto almost cried out in relief. What were the odds of coincidentally knocking into Gaara  _this_  early ever since he stepped into the gates of Sunagakure? It was as if fate truly was guiding him.

"Ga—" Naruto stopped short when he suddenly remembered that he wasn't supposed to know him. Flustered and trying to amend his mistake, he stuttered, "—Good to see you! Heheh…"

Gaara's eyes widened in surprise. "…Good… to see me…? You… aren't afraid of me?"

Naruto grinned, sauntering up to him with a dignified posture. "Of course not! Why would I?"

Gaara averted his eyes, looking at the ground sadly. "Because… I'm a monster. Everyone says so…"

Naruto peered at him. "That so? You don't look like a monster to me!" He extended his hand towards him. "Hey, wanna play with me? Push me at the swings!"

Gaara looked up at him, eyes wide in shock and awe. "You… You really mean that…?"

Naruto nodded, his grin bright and inviting. " _Yeah_! I can't stay here for long, anyway. I'm from Konoha and my name is Naruto! Namikaze Naruto!"

Gaara's eyes shined in hope. His hand shakily lifted, grasping Naruto's hand. "…My name is Gaara! Just Gaara."

Naruto led him to the swings. "No last name?" He had never asked Gaara this before, so now he was curious.

Gaara shook his head. "Citizens of Suna don't have a last name. Only foreigners who come to stay here as permanent citizens have a last name, and they pass that on to their descendants. However, you will find that most of us here don't have one."

"Ah… I get it!" Naruto nodded in understanding. That explained Konno and why he had a last name even though he was from Suna.

"So… you're a shinobi?"

"Yeah!" Naruto said proudly, fingering his forehead protector. "I'm a genin!" He then happily sat on the swing. Gaara stood behind him hesitantly.

"C'mon, Gaara!" he encouraged. "Push me!"

Gaara, always eager to please, complied with Naruto's requests. His pushes were gentle, so Naruto urged him to make them harder. Gaara adhered to it once more, until he pushed a little too forcefully and sent Naruto flying forward.

" _N—Naruto_!" Gaara cried out, sending his sand to help him. However, Gaara still didn't know how to manipulate his sand, so it hit Naruto so hard that the latter fell to the ground in a tight gasp.

Gaara was horrified. He ran over to him, his heart hammering so loudly in his chest. Naruto struggled to stand up, groaning as a pang shot from his spine.

"Man… That was some hit," said Naruto, turning to face Gaara with a grin. "Hey, you have some kind of awesome power there!"

Gaara froze. "…You…" He stumbled for words. "You don't… think I'm scary…?"

Naruto scrunched up his face in confusion. "What're you talkin' about?"

"But… I—I hurt you," Gaara said remorsefully, burying his face in his hands. "Aren't you… m—mad…?"

Naruto frowned. "But you didn't mean it," he said gently.

" _Hey, Kurama_ ," Naruto said, going into his Inner World. " _Why is Shukaku still tormenting Gaara?! I thought he can remember, just like you!_ "

Kurama seemed to be frowning. " _…Perhaps I might have the appropriate medicine for his… forgetfulness,_ " he said mysteriously. " _Shukaku seems to be sleeping right now. I shall wake him up._ "

Naruto nodded, going back to reality. He continued to comfort Gaara, telling him over and over again that it wasn't his fault. Man, this was messed up. Gaara really went through a lot. From what Naruto understood, even his siblings didn't try to get close to him at this time, too scared of their youngest brother.

Suddenly, Gaara flinched, his pupils dilating. Naruto, puzzled, echoed his name, but Gaara's awareness seemed to be far away. Naruto watched in apprehension as familiar red chakra began to leak out of Gaara's seemingly frail body, rage bubbling out of its pores. Gaara's eyes narrowed, his teeth gritted together tightly as if he were resisting this unwanted , he appeared to be failing.

 _Kurama_ … Naruto called out the Kyūbi.  _I think Shukaku's awake, and he knows you're here._

"I know, Naruto," Kurama said in his deep, guttural voice, opening his eyes and glaring at Shukaku himself, who was fully awake and growling.

" _Kyūbi_!" Shukaku snarled, his teeth — or rather, lack of it — baring.

"Ichibi, long time no see" was Kurama's deadpan greeting before promptly whacking the Ichibi on the head.  _Hard_.

A beat of silence passed. Then another.

Shukaku raised his head, his jaw slightly open.

"… _Kurama_?"

"Good, you remember," Kurama laughed in triumph. "Now stop tormenting your vessel. Don't forget," he added, "he tried to save you before you were sucked inside the Gedō Mazō. This is your chance to make amends with him, as early as this is."

Shukaku was silent, something that was uncharacteristic of him. "Time travel… an unprecedented phenomenon that has always been unheard of." He glared at Kurama. "And  _yes_ , I  _know_. Don't treat me like an idiot, you self-confident pussy," he said petulantly.

Kurama shrugged. "You can't blame me for being too used to your immaturity."

Shukaku was all but ready to snap, but Kurama had already disappeared.

Naruto felt the change in Gaara as the latter collapsed to the ground, his eyes wide in confusion. Naruto could sense about three ANBU guards that had tensed and were ready to go into action, but ceased momentarily when it seemed that the malevolent chakra dispersed, returning Gaara back to his normal state.

" _It's done, Naruto_ ," Kurama said in his mind.

" _Thanks, Kurama_ ," Naruto said sincerely.

" _Heh. No problem, kid_."

"Wh—What happened…?" Poor Gaara seemed so raddled. "No… D—Did I hurt somebody again? I'm sorry… I'm  _so_  sorry…"

"No, Gaara," Naruto consoled, placing a firm hand on the boy's shoulder. "I'm fine. See? Not even a single scratch!"

Gaara stared. It was true. Naruto looked completely unscathed, that same friendly, amiable smile on his face. Was it… a  _miracle_ , somehow? He couldn't even feel Shukaku's hate breathing down his neck. It seemed that the Ichibi was somehow subdued, though by  _what_ , he didn't know. Relief shot down his spine, spreading to the whole of his body.  _Finally,_  his mind was at peace.

He was about to thank Naruto — for  _surely_  his presence was the reason — when two familiar voices hesitantly yelled.

"Gaara." It was Temari's voice, Kankuro following reluctantly behind her. "Father… wants you home immediately."

Gaara looked at his siblings. "Um… C—Can I invite Naruto to dinner?"

Temari's eyes widened fractionally, her gaze resting upon the blond-haired boy standing beside her younger brother. This kid was different from the others, she could tell. His proximity with Gaara was well within personal space, and his visage didn't even show subtle signs of fear. Temari swallowed heavily. This was the first time anyone had ever gotten this close to Gaara except for Uncle Yashamaru. And she… never even bothered. Neither did Kankuro, who was indifferent — sometimes bordering on dislike — to Gaara but was actually afraid of him, like  _she_  was, though she was good at hiding it more than he did.

And now, Gaara was inviting someone to  _dinner_. Father would be shocked and uncertain, especially because the kid —what was his name?  _Naruto_? — was obviously a foreigner, if that forehead protector of his was any indication, and there was also a possibility that Father would either be pleased  _or_  displeased by this development. It showed that Gaara was human, not a monster. Temari was not stupid. She had an inkling that her father was gauging Gaara, pondering on whether or not he was safe for the village and also if the monster inside him was something Gaara could control capably.

Making up her mind, her lips formed words. "Yes, Gaara. You can invite him."

Kankuro whipped his head towards his sister, eyes wide. " _Temari_ …?!"

Temari ignored him, walking away and gripping his hand in hers, leading him away from the playground.

Gaara smiled, anticipation flooding his chest. Someone was  _actually_  going to his home for dinner! He never had someone who wasn't afraid of him before. This was going to be a happy night!

"Um… Gaara?" Naruto said sheepishly. "I… didn't come alone, so… Can my two friends come, too?"

Gaara blinked, uncertainty showing on his expression. "Um… I—I'm not sure if…"

"They'll like you! I swear it!" Naruto encouraged. "They can be  _your_  friends, too!"

Gaara's lips parted in surprise. "…Friends…?" He tested the word on his tongue, the term seemingly foreign to him. No one had ever said that to him before…

"Yeah,  _friends_!" Naruto nodded vigorously, beaming. "I'm your friend, aren't I?"

"My… friend…" The implication made pleasant feelings rise inside Gaara. "Namikaze Naruto…" He smiled happily. "Yes, please invite your friends, too, Naruto. I… would like to meet them."

Naruto laughed, accomplished. "Great! I'll go get them right away! You wait here, okay? I'll be right back, I promise!"

* * *

• • •

* * *

Sasuke aimed, and then threw the kunai cleanly, hitting the bull's-eye right at the center. The other Academy students, awed at the display, started crowding up to him and asking him for pointers. Sasuke, not used to  _this_  many people talking to him, backed away slightly, eventually finding that he was trapped. His right eyebrow twitched, but he patiently explained the gist of the exercise to them, speaking of how the posture and focus is the key to better targeting.

" _Sasuke_!"

Sasuke swivelled around at Naruto's voice. "…Naruto," he said neutrally, though Naruto detected the underlying request in his tone. Naruto, understanding, dragged him out of the crowd, earning him disappointed pouts from the children. And the funny thing was, about more than half of them were older than him and Sasuke.

"C'mon, Gaara just invited us to dinner!" he told Sasuke as they ran.

Sasuke blinked. "…That isn't… part of the plan."

* * *

• • •

* * *

Sakura, who had lingered away from her two male teammates, was currently focused on the greenhouse. She had read numerous books about herbs and plants before; seeing that she had a good memory, she could even confidently enumerate the benefits of some plants as well as their potentials as either poisons or medicines.

The plants in Sunagakure's greenhouse were mostly unfamiliar to her, but there were a few that caught her attention. She was about to be shooed out by a Suna medic when she suddenly talked about the plants, resulting in an interesting discussion.

The Suna medic, Miko, was slightly puzzled but amazed by her extensive knowledge. "What intrigues me most, Sakura-san," she said, "is that what you've told me is —"

"Sakura-chan!" Naruto's panting voice reached her ears. " _Finally_! I've found you! I've been looking  _everywhere_!"

Sakura blinked in surprise at the sight of her two teammates. "Naruto? Sasuke-kun? What—"

Naruto grasped her hand, gripping it tightly and dragging her out of the greenhouse with an apologetic wave at the stunned medic.

"Sorry, onee-chan! I gotta borrow Sakura-chan! It's important!"

While they were running, Sakura asked, "What's the rush, Naruto?"

"We're having dinner with the Kazekage's family!"

Sakura's eyes instantly bulged out from their sockets. " _WHAT_?! How did  _that_  happen?!"

"Long story!"

* * *

• • •

* * *

Gaara fiddled with his thumbs, still waiting for Naruto to come back. It had been about thirty minutes already. Dread filled Gaara's chest, almost choking him. What if it had all been a trick? If it was, then it was very cruel. Gaara thought that he finally had someone he could connect to, and if Naruto had only planned to leave him hanging like this, it would break a part of him.

Gaara waited for another five minutes before standing up, his heart clenched, preparing to leave the vicinity. It wasn't until he was near the exit when Naruto suddenly showed up, panting as he brought two other people with him.

"Sorry I'm late!" he apologized. "The village is  _really_  big! I got lost about four times before I  _finally_  found them!"

The tightness in Gaara's chest instantly loosened, relief taking in. So it was not a trick, after all! "It's okay," he said shyly. "Who are your friends?"

Sakura, who was still a little confused about the whole thing, spoke first. "Hello," she said warmly. "I'm Haruno Sakura, Naruto's teammate and a genin from Konoha." She bowed as she made her introduction, with him bowing back timidly.

"Uchiha Sasuke," Sasuke said neutrally, bowing his head a little in greeting. "Pleased to meet you."

Gaara bowed again politely in response. "Hello. My name is Gaara. Please follow me! I'll lead you to my home!"

They eventually came upon a large apartment. Taking off their shoes before entering, Gaara instructed them to sit in the living room and make themselves comfortable before running off to tell Yashamaru that they had guests.

"Nice place they've got," Naruto remarked. "Man, this is exciting!"

" _Exciting_?" Sakura squeaked. "This is  _nerve_ - _wracking_! We're inside the  _Kazekage's_  house!"

"He won't turn us away so harshly," Sasuke said calmly, resting his head against his propped-up arm. "Once he knows that Naruto's the son of the Hokage as well as the jinchūriki, he'll think twice." He eyed Sakura, who flinched at the latter term. "You  _do_  know, don't you?"

Sakura averted her gaze, nodding slowly. "…Yes. I know."

Naruto hesitated, about to say something.

At that moment, Kankuro and Temari stepped into the room, their expressions guarded but not hostile.

"Father would like to see you three at the table," Temari said stonily, eyeing them carefully.

Kankuro said nothing, only folding his arms across his chest and observing them, most notably at their forehead protectors.

"Okay!" Naruto said, going into the dining room with Sasuke and Sakura behind him. When they entered, Gaara was with a pleasant-looking young man with blond hair, while an imposing-looking man seated at the head with red hair was staring at them, seemingly gauging them with his eyes.

"Konoha shinobi," he enunciated with narrowed eyes. "What is your business here in Suna?"

"Father," Gaara spoke, upset. Yashamaru shushed him gently.

"We escorted a Suna merchant by the name of Tanshi Konno here safely," Sasuke responded curtly.

Rasa nodded. "Tanshi Konno… All right. What are your names?"

"Uchiha Sasuke."

"…Haruno Sakura."

"Namikaze Naruto!"

Rasa's eyes widened. " _Namikaze_ …?"

"Yup!" Naruto placed a fist to his chest proudly. "My dad's the Yondaime Hokage!"

Temari, Kankuro, Gaara, and Yashamaru stared at him in surprise.

Rasa's mind spun. Of course, he had no intention of betraying Konoha (at the moment), but for the Leaf's Hokage to send his son on a mission to Suna without worry… implied that he  _trusted_  Suna. Rasa didn't know what to make of this. Being solid allies with Konoha influenced pleasant tradings as well as a slight, recognizable increase in resources in their desolate, dry lands. At times, the Fourth Hokage would send a well-informed medic or even a merchant to stop by their country, proof of their alliance. The Hokage, although stern and efficient in his position, seemed also compassionate in his own subtle way. Rasa suspected that the man was rather fond of peace, and well effective when it came to his allies.

Rasa didn't know if he felt relieved or mildly disheartened by the thought.

"I see," he said slowly, gazing deep into Naruto's deep blue eyes. The same eyes as theinfamous Yellow Flash Namikaze Minato, only his son's eyes were a lot warmer. Rasa admitted though that he had never seen the man outside of his cool professionalism before. Perhaps they would still have the same eyes…

"I really like Gaara!" Naruto suddenly spoke, surprising the entire room. "He's nice! Sasuke's boring, and Sakura-chan's nice, too, but she's a girl, so she doesn't count!"

"…" Sasuke wisely kept his mouth shut, though his eyebrow was twitching.

Sakura clenched a hand into a fist, shaking. "…I don't know if I should feel neutral or offended by that statement…"

Gaara's eyes turned misty. "It's… It's the first time anyone's ever said that to me…" he whispered to Yashamaru, who squeezed his hand gently in response.

"I…" For once, Rasa seemed a little flustered, unsure of this development. He always had a sort of problem with the Gaara's niceties; he felt that it would impede his progress with becoming the proper jinchūriki. He now didn't know what to do; Karura was infinitely better at this parenting business. But his wife was gone, and he was the one left.

He cared for his children. However, he felt that his actions concerning them were sometimes somewhat counter-productive.

"Why, thank you for saying that about my nephew," Yashamaru spoke up genially, smoothly making up for his brother-in-law's loss of words. "It warms my heart to know that he has a friend he can connect with. Naruto-kun, right?" At Naruto's eager nod, he introduced himself. "My name is Yashamaru. I'm Gaara's uncle. Pleased to meet you."

"No problem!" Naruto exclaimed. "Nice to meet you, too!"

Temari stepped up, earning her a surprised glance from Kankuro. "I am Temari, Gaara's older sister." She sent a glance towards her youngest brother, noticing that he was looking at her in astonishment. "Please take care of my brother."

Kankuro, who was reluctant to join in, caved the moment he saw the warning glance from his sister. "I'm Kankuro," he said dully. "Gaara's older brother. Pleased… to meet you."

"All right," Rasa's voice reverberated inside the room. "Our dinner will get cold. Let us eat."

Everyone took their seats at the table. Naruto gazed at the delicious-looking food served on the platters, his mouth watering in hunger. Sasuke and Sakura, who were starved as well, stared at the exotic dishes.

 _I wonder what Kakashi-sensei's doing right now…_ Sakura wondered absently.

* * *

**Meanwhile, with Kakashi…**

* * *

"…Er… just one dumpling, please," Kakashi ordered from a nearby restaurant, looking forlornly at his almost empty wallet. He had, embarrassingly, forgotten to stock it up back home, and the payment for their C-Rank mission was only something they could receive back at the Tower in the treasury section. He only had enough money left for two nights at a cheap inn.

Kakashi sighed, thinking about his students.  _I just hope they at least have enough money for decent food…_

* * *

While eating, Yashamaru pointed out the names of the dishes they ate. Naruto turned green when the older man mentioned that the former just ate squid, while Sasuke inconspicuously placed more tomato slices into his salad. Though the fact that they  _had_  tomatoes around here was pleasantly surprising, given that the weather condition in their country was not very compatible with the growing of most plants.

When dinner was over, Naruto found himself sitting alone with Rasa and Yashamaru while Gaara, Temari, Kankuro, and Sasuke were persuaded by Sakura to play a board game together in the living room. Naruto could practically feel Rasa's intent gaze on him.

Naruto took a deep breath. He didn't know if his father would kill him or not by giving out sensitive — or  _was_  it, really? — information to their ally, but this was now or never.

"Kazekage-sama," Naruto began, "you might not know of this, but I… am the jinchūriki of the Kyūbi, Namikaze Naruto."

Something flashed in Rasa's expression, but Naruto was too late to catch it. Yashamaru, on the other hand, had a surprised look on his face.

"I noticed that your son had trouble controlling the Ichibi's power," Naruto continued on, "so the Kyūbi inside me talked to the Ichibi and… um, persuaded it to stop tormenting Gaara."

Rasa and Yashamaru stared at him in disbelief.

Naruto waved his hands in front of his face frantically. "I—I know it's a little surreal to take in, but it's _true_! Gaara — your son —  _is_  capable of controlling the Ichibi's sand. He just needs guidance and connection. I'll be here to help him, but…" He looked straight into their eyes, hoping for his hidden meaning to get through. "…it won't be enough if he doesn't have the connection in his own family."

"…What are you implying?" Rasa drawled, his tone a bit unreadable. However, Naruto had the feeling that the Kazekage was testing him. Naruto gulped slightly, knowing that his answer would either have a positive or negative effect on what Gaara's life would become from now on.

"All I'm saying, Kazekage-sama," Naruto said meaningfully, "is that all Gaara needs is support. I can control the Kyūbi's power without problems, and that's only because my friends and family have always been by my side every step of the way. Without them, I would never have gotten this far." An appreciative, wistful smile curved Naruto's lips. "My mother, who was the previous jinchūriki, once mentioned that I should fill the vessel with love. Only then would I be able to get by with being a jinchūriki." Naruto stood up, sending Rasa one last expressive smile. "Please think about it, Kazekage-sama."

He then left for the living room, joining the others on the board game. Yashamaru spared a glance at Rasa, who seemed to be wholly deep in thought. As for Yashamaru, there was no such conflict. He already regarded Gaara as someone precious to him. He would shower his nephew with so much love if need be, especially because of the absence of the poor boy's mother. And if Naruto's words were right, then Gaara wasn't going to be just the Sand's weapon anymore.

If anything, Gaara was going to be a very important ninja to Sunagakure, respected and admired by all. Yashamaru would give  _everything_  to see it happen.

* * *

**tbc**

* * *

• • •

• •

•

* * *

**OMAKE/EXTRA**

* * *

Sasuke, Sakura, Temari, and Kankuro were all sitting on the living room floor, every one of them stiff. Sometimes, Kankuro and Temari would glance at the foreigners in their house and then glimpse at the dining room where their father was. Sasuke and Sakura, on the other hand, did not know what to say. Both were... not exactly an expert on making small talk.

"..."

"..."

"..."

"..."

"..."

When Naruto finally went towards them, he sweatdropped.

"...I thought you guys were going to play a board game...?"

 


	12. Chapter 12

[ **X** ]

* * *

CHAPTER 4.2

* * *

After dinner, Gaara invited them to stay the night. However, Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura declined politely, responding that they had to find their wayward sensei and check in together at a nearby inn since they didn't want to be an inconvenience. This obviously disappointed Gaara, so Naruto promised him that they would meet up in the morning at the playground and visit the Academy where Temari and Kankuro were currently attending. They were,  _surprisingly,_  actually about to  _graduate._

Gaara was soon going to be attending the Academy as well. It turned out that Rasa was hesitating in sending his youngest son to learn techniques, especially with the fact that Gaara still didn't know how to control the Ichibi, but eventually relented when Naruto had to reassure him once more, even going so far as to say that the Ichibi —  _Shukaku_  — would be helping Gaara all the way. Kurama told him that Shukaku was now uncharacteristically quiet and somewhat slightly penitent when it came to his vessel, so there was a great chance that Shukaku was going to try to give Gaara a well-deserved chance.

They found Kakashi later near an cheap-looking inn, slowly eating a single dumpling. Naruto immediately felt sorry for not inviting his teacher to the dinner; he didn't really think that Kakashi wouldn't have any money to spend on good food.

Sakura approached him first, handing him a wrapped package. "Here, sensei," she said sweetly, an innocent expression on her face which Kakashi somehow couldn't figure out if it was genuine or mocking. "I brought you some leftovers from our dinner at the Kazekage's place."

Kakashi's eyes widened in surprise. "The  _Kazekage's_  place? How on earth did you three manage to get there?"

"Er… It's a long story," Naruto said sheepishly.

"..." Depression clouds hung over Kakashi's head. "...How cruel... for my students to  _forget_  about me..."

Naruto laughed at Kakashi's pitiful-looking expression. "Sorry 'bout that!" he said, though his tone didn't sound that much apologetic.

"Ungrateful godson…" Kakashi muttered under his breath, taking the package from Sakura's hands and thanking her after ruffling her hair. "All right. I'll ask questions later. Right now, let's check in."

When they got inside, Sasuke noted the plain walls and somewhat compressed space. He already had a suspicion that their rooms were going to be cramped.

"One room, please," Kakashi told the attendant, not noticing the off-guard look on Sasuke's face. "A two-night stay."

When they arrived at their assigned quarters, Sasuke was correct in his suspicion. The room was small, only big enough to fit about three people. There was a lone single bed at the side, as well as a chair near the door. That was it.

"Hm… Not exactly what I had in mind," Kakashi mused, setting down his sleeping bag on the floor. "So… I think we can agree that Sakura can take the bed."

Sakura blushed at the simple nods of agreement. "I—I don't mind sleeping on the floor," she said. "I brought my sleeping bag, too."

"Don't worry, Sakura," Kakashi assured her. "Us boys can handle sleeping on the floor."

Sakura looked like she wanted to say more, but clamped her mouth shut. At least they were gentlemanly enough to let her take the most comfortable sleeping place, but it still made her uneasy.

Soon, they all drifted to sleep, their sleeping bags huddled close to each other. At night, Suna was chilly, an ironic contrast to the heavy, hot weather during the day. Not to mention that the lone window in their room didn't have filters or even blinds; only like a medium-sized hole which didn't do anything against the cold wind seeping inside. Sakura watched as the males of her team slept, having just half an inch of a distance between the materials of their sleeping bags, something which did little to ward off the extreme cold. How could they  _not_  be shivering?

Sakura, as quietly as she could, tiptoed towards the bathroom. When she opened the door, she was greeted by the sight of a toilet, a small showerhead, a sink, and a suspiciously large cabinet by the side. Immediately, she opened it.

She saw a thick blanket inside along with two small pillows. Then there were pairs of ordinary-looking slippers which completely covered the soles of the feet, like the warm kind worn in the middle of winter before the fireplace. Sakura carried the blanket, trying to quieten her gasps at the heaviness. When she went back inside the room, she gingerly placed the blanket over her teammates, taking extra care not to wake them. It was actually a good thing that they were huddled close to each other; the width of the blanket fit over their forms. Satisfied, Sakura went back into the bathroom and took the rest of the useful materials in the cabinet. She then placed the slippers by the door, and then crawled back on her own bed, slipping inside the blanket of the bed and drifting off into a deep sleep. The pillows were forgotten on the floor due to her tiredness.

A few minutes later, Naruto, Sasuke, and Kakashi quietly got up from their positions. Kakashi took out an extra blanket from his pack and draped it over Sakura's slightly shivering form. Naruto took the pillows and placed them next to her. Sasuke, on the other hand, took out a coat from his knapsack, quietly drilled three kunais above the window, and then tied a part of the coat to each of them, letting the material serve as a makeshift curtain. It wasn't much, but it at least lessened the cold, albeit slightly.

Then they went back to sleep under the comfortable, thick blanket Sakura gave them, drifting back to sleep in seconds.

* * *

• • •

* * *

They woke up the next day refreshed, just making it in time before the heat would come sweltering in once more. The room dissolved into light chatter as everyone organized their things, with Naruto and Sasuke putting their sleeping bags into their packs and Sakura returning the materials into the cabinet. She was confused as to why there was an unfamiliar, additional blanket when Kakashi suddenly swooped by her side, smiling innocently as he took the blanket, informing her that it was his. Sakura gaped at her teacher's retreating back, blushing furiously in embarrassment. What had happened last night? Did her teeth chatter too much? What?  _What_?!

"Kakashi-sensei." Naruto came up to his teacher. "We promised to go meet Gaara at the playground today."

Kakashi cast him a glance. "Without eating any breakfast?"

"Er…" At that moment, Naruto's stomach grumbled, voicing out its protest. Naruto's face turned pink in embarrassment, chuckling nervously.

Kakashi sighed, though there was an underlying fondness to it. "Come on, let's eat at a nearby restaurant."

"But Kakashi-sensei," Naruto interjected, "do you still have money left?"

Kakashi stopped in his tracks, sweating slightly. "Uh, about that…"

"Let's go." Sasuke walked past them in his usual calm, refined stride. "My treat."

Naruto and Kakashi had stars in their eyes.

"You're the  _best,_  Sasuke!" Naruto cheered, clapping his friend on the back. "Man, you must be crazy rich 'cause your family's the head of your clan, huh?"

"Shut up" was Sasuke's pococurante reply.

Kakashi eye-smiled, taking out his book. His team was very close, indeed. He felt Sakura walk beside him, seemingly immersed in reading a scroll.

_Team 7…_

His mind then wandered towards a certain individual.

_Obito…_

* * *

• • •

* * *

After eating at a rather nice restaurant with Sasuke paying the bill, the three of them went towards the playground. Naruto asked Kakashi if he wanted to come with them, but the older man declined, saying that he would rather not be overseeing a bunch of kids playing with each other.

Gaara's face lit up when he saw them. "You came." He sounded awed.

He had apparently been waiting for them by the sandbox. Temari and Kankuro were nowhere to be seen.

"They're at the Academy right now," Gaara informed them when they asked. "They told me to fetch you and then go there so we can all have a proper tour."

"That sounds great!" Naruto said, excited to see Suna's Academy.

It turned out that the Academy looked more like any other building, albeit it wasn't too small and too large, either. The only distinct trait about it was the obvious logo right at the center.

"So this is where you go to school, eh, Gaara?" Naruto marveled, noting the distinct foreign structure of Suna's Academy compared to their own back in Konoha. Multiple shades of brown, beige, caramel, and yellow adorned the walls as well as the furniture, making Naruto downcast somewhat because of the lack of normal colours. It seemed almost monotone now that he became more familiar with the surroundings.

"Kankuro and I are getting ready to graduate in a few months," Temari informed them, startling Naruto and Sasuke by this revelation.

"Yeah," Kankuro supported. "Seems like the teachers deem the two of us ready to become genins within this year."

"Wow, you two must be very good," Sakura praised.

"Not really, though I admit I can wield Wind Release techniques very effectively than most people," Temari said in a matter-of-fact tone. "And Kankuro here can use a puppet and manipulate it to his liking."

" _Hey!_ " Kankuro protested. "Why did you tell then about my ability?"

"What does it matter?" Temari said nonchalantly. "They're not our enemies. Our countries are allied with each other."

"Yeah, but…" Kankuro pouted. "I wanted it to be a surprise."

Naruto and Sasuke, in the midst of the conversation, were sneaking glances.

_What the hell is going on?_

When the tour ended and they bade goodbye for the day since Gaara still had to fill out his registration form, Naruto pulled Sasuke aside, puzzling Sakura. However, she only shrugged, deciding that it was one of those 'guy things'.

"I'm getting a hell of a lot confused," Naruto remarked, befuddled. "First it was the Rookie Nine entering the Academy along with us again, and even Bushy Brows' team were our classmates when they graduated earlier than us! And  _now_  it's the  _same_  case with Temari and Kankuro? And  _Gaara_?!"

"There's even a possibility of Gaara  _still_  being on the same team with them even though he's still a student," Sasuke added. "It feels really weird. Like we stumbled upon an alternate universe."

Naruto fell silent. "You… really think this isn't the Infinite Tsukuyomi we're in?"

"Of course not, idiot." Sasuke frowned. "It isn't possible. With my Rinnegan, no genjutsu will affect me. Also, we almost succeeded in sealing Kaguya. There wasn't any opening for her to do so."

"But… then…" Naruto looked straight into his eyes. "What if…  _I'm_  the one who got pulled into the genjutsu?"

"What? Don't be ridiculous."

"But there's a possibility, right?" Naruto sneaked a few glances at Sakura, who was busying herself with staring at the streets of Sunagakure. "For all we know… almost sealing Kaguya… was actually a  _part_  of the illusion."

Sasuke's eyes widened in disbelief. "Naruto…" he uttered softly. "…this isn't like you."

Naruto hung his head slightly, his eyes downcast. "I know I'm being pessimistic right now, but it all  _still_  feels  _too_  good to be true. If  _we_  were the ones who time-travelled, then wouldn't it make sense that we'd remember  _how_  we did it?"

Sasuke did not respond. He hung his head as well, considering the idea.

Silence hovered amongst them until Sasuke spoke up.

"Then, if you're implying that I am a mere genjutsu…" Sasuke stared at his hands, boring holes into them. "…then why… why do I  _feel_  these things? I feel so  _real…_  If this is a genjutsu, then  _why_  do I have my  _memories_? Also, why did  _I_  remember first than you?"

"…I don't know," Naruto said quietly, shoving his hands inside his pockets. "I—I don't know what to think anymore, Sasuke… Even Kurama doesn't have any answers…" He managed a smile as he faced his friend. "But I'm glad that you're here, you know? At least… I know I'm not alone."

Sasuke stared at him with wide eyes before looking away, feeling mildly embarrassed. "..."

Naruto grinned knowingly before gazing up at the sky, his eyes softening as he noted the way the clouds moved in a leisurely pace, taking turns in passing by the scorching sun.

"But you know… if this is a genjutsu I'm in, and since you have your memories… maybe you went inside my illusion to save me…?"

Sasuke blinked. "That… makes sense…" His expression turned into a serious, thoughtful one as he pondered it over carefully. "It's a possibility, at least. Though I'm not sure why I've seemingly forgotten that it's my goal, there's no harm in trying to find a way to get you out of here." He sent Naruto a sidelong glance. "However, if we start doing that and in the end, we actually  _did_  travel back in time, there would be repercussions for our actions."

" _Gaaahhh!_ " Naruto scratched his head, his mind spinning. "All this thinking is driving me  _crazy_!" He glanced over at Sakura once more, who had become bored and started reading one of the scrolls she always carried with her. "If only Sakura-chan remembers, too… then this would be a different issue altogether!"

Sasuke blinked. "Are you implying that if Sakura remembers… then it would mean that you're not in a genjutsu…?"

Naruto nodded vigorously. "Well, she and I can't be in the same genjutsu, right?!"

Sasuke frowned, unconsciously rubbing his temple. "It's a stretch, but it's also a possibility. However, we're only conjuring up theories here. What if we are merely overthinking this?"

"What do you think we should do, Sasuke?"

Sasuke looked at Naruto, who was staring at him with something akin to trust in his eyes. Sasuke's chest lifted a little at this, overwhelmed that their bond only seemed to grow stronger through time.

"I say we go with the flow for now," Sasuke suggested. "I still want to believe that this isn't a genjutsu, but we can't leave out the likelihood that the world is currently in danger because Kaguya has us sealed inside this world. I say we try to save this world and try to find a way to break the illusion, too."

Sasuke frowned as he became deep in thought.  _But what if these incidents are only due to time contradictions like the Kyubi mentioned a while back? We can't even risk destroying this world only to find out in the end that it isn't an illusion, but reality itself._

_Wait…_

Sasuke recounted Sakura's words.  _She said that the masked man deemed the three of us nuisances…_

 _It only adds up to the conjecture that we are_  indeed _involved in a time travel phenomenon._ Sasuke released a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding.  _If we're ever going to have to do something drastic, it would be a huge gamble. Maybe Itachi would know what to do… or even Kakashi. Sakura would also be a big help if she has her memories…_

Sasuke's mind drifted back to his long, significant conversation with Naruto at the training grounds.

* * *

• • •

* * *

 _"S—So this_  is _the past?!" Naruto said, excitement, wariness, hope, and hesitance mixing together in his voice. Sasuke thought it impossible for a single human tone to harbour emotions that simply coalesced, but Naruto seemed to pull it off, intentional or not._

_"Yeah," Sasuke said quietly._

_Naruto's eyes sparkled. "Th—This is_ great _!" he stammered in his ardor. "We can_  fix _things! We can make things right! And our parents are_ alive _! And you…" His expression turned warm, blue eyes softening in thankfulness. "You're here with us now, Sasuke. With Team 7. And you have your clan…"_

_Sasuke looked away. "I'm not sure they can stay longer," he said quietly. "I don't know how to stop the coup from happening."_

But—! _" Naruto protested. "The Uchihas aren't isolated, are they? That means they aren't suspected for the Kyūbi attack!"_

_"The moment your parents didn't die, Naruto," Sasuke said calmly, looking at his friend straight in the eyes, "the timeline of the past that we know is already gradually fading away, transitioning into something different. We can't expect things to happen the same way they did before." Then his gaze averted once more, replaced by a faraway look. "Besides, I didn't plan on coming back to Team 7 in our timeline."_

What? _" Naruto frowned deeply. "Why not? You're_  not _leaving us again!"_

 _"To end the cycle of wars, to attain peace," Sasuke continued on in a low voice as if Naruto had never spoken, "I planned on becoming the Hokage of Konoha, effectively retaining the unification of the five villages by becoming the lone person the people would hate. I planned on becoming the cause of a worldwide revolution so that there wouldn't be any wars since everyone is united through a common enemy." He glanced at Naruto, who was looking more and more incredulous and indignant at his explanation. "And I also planned on removing the very few friendships I had left… including_ you

 _"You_ bastard _!" Naruto howled, his hands clenching into fists. "Do you_  really _think that_  that _would solve everything? What will happen then once you die? All of it is meaningless!" Tears of frustration clouded Naruto's vision. "You're trying to do things by yourself. You're trying to be alone again!"_

_Sasuke said nothing, his eyes trained on something far away. Naruto bristled at his ignorance._

_"Then what about_ now _?!" Naruto demanded. "You said that that was what you planned back in our timeline. What are your plans now?"_

_"It's still the same, and the odds are favourable for me right now." A wry smile played on Sasuke's lips, looking somewhat out of place on his solemn, refined features. "The earlier I start, the better."_

_Naruto snapped. "_ No! _I_  won't _let you!" he declared. "I will bring you back to your senses even if I have to_  pound _you to the ground!"_

_Sasuke craned his neck towards him, and Naruto shook at the sight of the Sharingan painted on his friend's eyes._

_"Then try to convince me otherwise…" Sasuke murmured, Chidori blazing in his hand. "…Naruto."_

_Naruto snarled, immediately rushing towards him with the Rasengan swirling in his palm. Sasuke fluidly stepped to the side, transformed his Chidori into a long spear, and attempted to pierce Naruto's side. The latter dodged the impending attack by jumping backwards, gritting his teeth as he unconsciously began to activate Sage Mode._

"Naruto! Stop!"

_Naruto reflexively backtracked on his decision. "K—Kurama?!" he exclaimed._

_Kurama's voice held a warning tone. "You mustn't forget that you're in the public training grounds! This world is not the one you and Uchiha Sasuke lived in! Revealing powerful techniques right now will only land the both of you into suspicion!"_

_Naruto's lips parted open in surprise, the revelation dawning on his expression. "I_ _—I..."_

 _"Tell me: do you_ really _want to clue the adults here in the village as to who you really are?!"_

_Sasuke, who had noticed Naruto's strange expression, momentarily ceased his offense._

_Naruto hung his head, his jaw clenched._

_"Also, both of you are not at the necessary physical level yet for your outrageous techniques," Kurama continued on in his deep voice. "Both of you will quickly tire out in the end. You will have your duel if you so wish, but now is_  not _the time. You have to understand your positions right now!"_

 _Naruto clenched his fists. "I_ know _that!" he said. "I know..."_

_Suddenly, all three of them were now in Naruto's inner world._

_"Wh_ _—Wha..." Naruto's head snapped towards the likely suspect. "_ Sasuke?!

_"I suspected as much," said Sasuke in an unreadable tone of voice, the tomoes of his Sharingan swirling in his irises._

_"Do you get it now?" Kurama insisted. "You can't risk yourselves for some stupid quarrel!"_

_"I know," Sasuke said, startling Naruto._

_"What?!" Naruto exclaimed. "What are you on about now?!"_

_Sasuke sent him a sidelong glance. "...I was only testing something out."_

_Naruto spluttered. "_ Testing _something out?!" he said angrily. "What was so important that you just had to 'test it out'?!"_

_Sasuke forwarded his gaze. "It's nothing for you to know."_

_"Why_

_"Naruto," Kurama said._

_Naruto forced himself to calm down. However, he still felt hurt inside. "_ Why...? _" he uttered softly in defeat. "Why can't you just stay with us?_ Why _do you still keep yourself at a distance from us?"_

_Sasuke said nothing._

_"But don't get me wrong." Naruto's tone turned completely serious. "I still won't_ ever _give up on you! You_ bastard

_At that, Sasuke smiled. "Hmph."_

_Naruto gaped at him. "What? What're you smirking like that for, huh?!"_

_"...Nothing." The small smile on Sasuke's face didn't fade. "I guess... in the end, I've lost."_

_Naruto blinked. "Lost...?"_

_"Anyway," Sasuke said, "I think I know now what we have to do."_

_"Really?!" Naruto exclaimed, momentarily forgetting his puzzlement. "What is it?"_

_"Since it's come to this, then we have to rise up in rank," Sasuke responded simply. "If we strive to become respective ninjas, preferably_ ANBU _, we can investigate the Akatsuki and get to Obito. We also have to stop Madara's plans. This is the best thing we have to do right now."_

_Naruto grew silent._

_"We're_ really _in the past, huh..." he murmured. "Sometimes I still find it hard to believe... Sometimes I still think that I'll wake up one day and realize that this is all just a dream..."_

_Sasuke nodded, sharing his sentiments. "...A cruel dream..."_

* * *

• • •

* * *

"Sasuke! I have an idea!" Naruto suddenly exclaimed.

Sasuke whipped his head towards him. "What?" Then his eyes narrowed in suspicion. "This isn't one of your lame ass plans again, is it?"

" _Hey!_ " Naruto barked out, offended. "My plans  _aren't_  lame! Your  _face_  may be lame, but mine isn't!" he huffed.

"You're getting out of track," Sasuke remarked flatly.

"Ugh… egotistic bastard," Naruto muttered under his breath. "Anyway, genjutsu or not, we  _gotta_  help Sakura-chan retrieve her memories!"

"That  _is_  a lame idea," Sasuke shot down immediately. "We don't even  _know_  if she's capable of remembering, and whether it may be part of the genjutsu or not. And if time travel is the real deal that happened, we aren't even  _certain_  that she travelled back in time along with us."

"But we're a  _team_!" Naruto insisted, determination and faith filling his eyes. "We were  _all_  there before we could seal Kaguya! No matter what it is, we would've done it  _together_!"

"Then you are also implying that Kakashi has travelled back as well," Sasuke pointed out, "which is a huge stretch in itself."

"There's  _always_  a possibility!" Naruto said. "We're Team 7! Ōtsutsuki Kaguya wouldn't stand a chance against us!"

Sasuke wanted to believe it. He really did. But the rational part of his brain was thoroughly rejecting Naruto's idealism.

"It would complicate things if we reveal significant information to Sakura," Sasuke said slowly. "If we're going to make her remember, we'll have to do it subtly."

Naruto beamed.

Sasuke couldn't help but allow a flicker of a smirk to cross his features.

In the end, idealism and rationalism could mix well, after all.

* * *

**end of volume 04**


	13. Chapter 13

**Intermission 03:** Mission, Success or Failure?!

* * *

"...Can we see each other again?"

Team 7 stood near the gates of Suna, already prepared to leave. Gaara and his siblings were there to see them off.

"Of course!" Naruto responded, grinning and sending a thumbs up. "You can count on it,  _dattebayo_ ~!"

Gaara managed a smile. "R—Really...?"

"It was nice to meet you," Temari said cordially. "I hope you have a pleasant trip back home."

Kankuro gave a half-hearted wave. "See ya."

"Well, this is really goodbye," Naruto said fondly, stepping towards Gaara and extending a hand towards him. "I'll write to you!"

There was only a brief hesitation on Gaara's part before he gratefully shook Naruto's hand, tears brimming in his eyes.

"Naruto... Thank you." Gaara smiled. " _Thank you_... for being my friend."

Naruto's eyes widened.

Then he grinned.

"No problem! We'll  _always_  be friends!"

* * *

• • •

* * *

They left Suna almost immediately, though their pace was slow, almost lazy. The desert was as hot as ever, but they managed to cross it without any unnecessary delays.

"Oi, oi…" Naruto whispered when they finally arrived at a forest, beckoning his teammates to come closer.

Sakura, curious, obeyed. Sasuke, on the other hand, did reluctantly, somehow knowing that this was going to be another one of Naruto's lame,  _always_ unsuccessful pranks.

"What is it?" he asked grudgingly.

"Aren't you two at all curious about what's under Kakashi-sensei's mask?!" Naruto exclaimed, still whispering so as to not get overheard by their busily reading sensei.

Sakura's eyes shone in intrigue. " _Y—Yes!_ " she squeaked out. "I've  _always_  wondered what his real face looks like…"

Sasuke sighed. "This is stupid." He had gone through this mysterious quest quite a few times before and they  _always_  didn't succeed. It was as if  _every_  deity was on Kakashi's side, not allowing anyone to see what was under that stupid mask of his. Sasuke was curious, of course, but he was  _not_  about to embark on some useless quest like that again. They would only lose face and Kakashi would  _always_  be the victor.

But Naruto was having none of it. He moved closer to Sasuke, whispering conspiratorially, "Aren't you curious  _at all_? What if he has… a large  _pimple_  on his chin?  _No teeth_  inside his mouth? What if he…" Naruto grinned like a Cheshire Cat. "… _secretly wears lipstick_?"

The hairs on Sasuke's arms stood up at the ends.

"Or  _maybe_ … he's—"

"All right, _fine_!" Sasuke relented, still shivering slightly from the imagery. "How do we take off that stupid mask?"

Naruto grinned mischievously.

* * *

• • •

* * *

Kakashi strode down a particularly rocky path, still immersed in the contents of the page he was currently on. There was nothing suspicious in the vicinity at a four-mile range, so his posture was slack, relaxed. His students were walking behind him, seemingly having a conversation with one another. It was nice that they were really getting along with each other; having a strong bond early on would yield impressive, long-term results. He, on the other hand, had a slightly difficult time being close to them. It wasn't as if he disliked them; in fact, he was  _very_  fond of them. But there were still some things he needed to confirm. Naruto and Sasuke were slightly suspicious,  _especially_  the latter ever since he officially met up with Team 7, while Sakura seemed normal and clueless. There was something obvious going on here, and he had to find out no matter what.

Though deep inside he knew that he was already  _close_  to unravelling the truth…

"Hey, hey, Kakashi-sensei!" Naruto called out, snapping him out of his thoughts. "Can you pick me up?"

"…What?" Kakashi said dumbly, his book forgotten in the midst of his confusion.

Naruto held out his arms imploringly, pouting cutely up at his godfather. "Kakashi-sensei,  _please_? I wanna be held by you just this once!"

"Naruto," Kakashi tried gently, "you're not a child anymore. You're a genin now, and—"

"I don't  _care_ ," Naruto insisted stubbornly. "Just  _this_  once, Kakashi-sensei! Please please  _pleeeaaaase_?!" Using his ultimate weapon, he brought out his famous puppy-dog eyes, ultimately known for its effectiveness in persuasion.

Kakashi swallowed, perspiring slightly. "But…"

"Me, too, Kakashi-sensei!" Sakura said jubilantly, smiling in an adorable manner. "Please hold me along with Naruto!"

Kakashi's eyes almost bugged out of their sockets. "Eh?! You,  _too,_  Sakura?" He then stared at Sasuke hopefully, knowing that he would never ask for something so embarrassing as this.

Unfortunately, Sasuke was gazing at him closely, his arms also stretched out expectantly. "...Just this once, Kakashi."

How the boy managed to sound so calm and nonchalant about it while still sporting an obvious humiliated blush on his cheeks went beyond Kakashi's comprehension.

But — oh,  _gawd_  — they were so  _cute_!

"C'mon, Kakashi-sensei!" Naruto pleaded. "We're not gonna be seven years old forever, you know!"

Kakashi's mind spun. This was the most  _ridiculous_  request he had ever gotten from his team. What on earth did he do to deserve this? He had never really held children before; that time with baby Naruto only happened once and  _never_  happened again. But now his three  _genin_  students were asking him to carry them in his arms. What was he  _supposed_  to do?

"…A—All right," he conceded hesitantly, slowly hoisting the three of them in his arms. "Just this once."

Sakura squealed in delight, wrapping her arms around Kakashi's neck. Naruto laughed happily, grabbing at Kakashi's vest, while Sasuke merely contented himself with folding his arms across his chest.

 _Ahh, so cute_ , Kakashi mused to himself as he gazed at his small, innocent students.

It was then that Naruto spoke up.

"Hey, Kakashi-sensei," he said, "what's under that mask of yours?"

Sasuke and Sakura not-so subtly stared at their teacher's face, waiting for his answer.

Kakashi sweatdropped. "Uh… Why do you want to know?" He was starting to regret picking them up.

"We're curious!" Naruto grinned. "Can we  _please_  see your face, Kakashi-sensei?"

Kakashi pretended to look thoughtful. "…No."

Naruto was not deterred. "What? Yes?  _All right_!" he cheered, making a quick grab for the mask.

His movement caused a chain reaction. Sasuke and Sakura grabbed Kakashi's arms, impeding his movements, while Naruto, who was conveniently at their middle, gleefully snatched the material.

Kakashi's eyes were wide in horror.  _Cute, but_  very _dangerous students, indeed!_

"A— _ha_!" Naruto said triumphantly, sailing the cloth over his head. "Now lesse what you look like —  _HUH_?!"

Kakashi laughed chirpily. "Ahaha… Well, behind that mask is…  _another_  mask!" he revealed cheerfully.

Naruto growled. He snatched the mask again, only for  _another_  mask to be revealed behind it. The same was said for his fifty-sixth attempt.

"HOW THE  _HELL_  DO YOU HAVE  _SO_  MANY MASKS ON YOUR FACE, KAKASHI-SENSEI?!" Naruto cried out in frustration, horror, and awe.

Kakashi laughed. "Well, you see, I—"

" _AUGH_! I GIVE UP!" Naruto said in defeat.

Sasuke and Sakura deflated in disappointment.

Kakashi moved to set them down, but all three refused, even Sasuke. Kakashi could not find it in himself to deny that even the quiet Uchiha prodigy looked incredibly cute with his stubborn, pouty expression and doubted that Sasuke himself realized what he was doing.

" _No_! We won't walk by ourselves unless you show your face!" Naruto declared adamantly, gripping Kakashi's shoulders like a lifeline. Sakura did not even loosen her grasp around Kakashi's neck. It even resulted in an awkward tangle of limbs, but both did not mind. Sasuke was the only one who didn't grab anything, but even his stance was guarded.

"…You  _do_  realize that you three are heavy, right?" Kakashi deadpanned.

"You're an elite jōnin." To his surprise, it was Sasuke who spoke. "You can handle carrying three seven-year-olds at once." Sasuke eyed him almost mockingly. "Why? Can't do it?"

Naruto internally cheered, hysterical laughter threatening to break out of his lips.  _Sasuke's really getting into this! Hahahaha!_

"…" Kakashi heaved a long, heavy sigh.

This was going to be a long day.

* * *

• • •

* * *

"I'm  _bored_ ~" Naruto complained, leaning the back of his head against his folded arms. The movement was naturally going to cause his balance to reduce since he was just being carried, but Kakashi adjusted his arm grip and position on the boy so he wouldn't fall off.

Kakashi sighed, a small sweatdrop forming at his temple.  _He's being_  too _carefree with himself…_

"So, Kakashi," Sasuke spoke up, his tone even. "It slipped my mind, but I don't remember asking you how you got that Sharingan."

Sakura jolted in surprise.  _That's right!_  She immediately turned to Kakashi, eager for his response. It was completely rare for someone outside of the Uchiha Clan to have a Sharingan. Perhaps it was a transplant?

"Ah, this?" Kakashi said nonchalantly, yet there was an underlying softness and something rueful hidden in his tone. "It was given to me… by a dear friend. Your father, Fugaku, allowed me to have it despite a few protests from his clan members to respect the honour of the Uchiha who gave it to me."

Sasuke went silent.

"Who was your friend, Kakashi-sensei?" Sakura asked tentatively.

Kakashi sent her a small smile. "His name was Uchiha Obito. He was my former teammate. Before he died, he entrusted his Sharingan to me." He let out a somewhat nostalgic sigh before setting the three of them down. "Anyway, let's rest up here. I'll go check around the area once more. You three stay here, all right?"

* * *

• • •

* * *

When Kakashi left, the three of them were left to their own devices. Naruto approached Sasuke while Sakura was reading another scroll.

"I  _still_  say we go with it!" Naruto insisted passionately.

Sasuke tried his best not to cringe. "And I'm saying this again," he deadpanned. "It's a  _bad_  idea."

"Aw,  _c'mon_! What have we got to lose?"

" _I_  won't lose anything," Sasuke said simply. "You, on the other hand,  _will_  lose your life after this if she finds out."

Naruto swallowed at that, his imagination taking him places. "B—B—But it's worth a try, right...?"

* * *

• • •

* * *

"Sakura."

Sakura turned around, her eyes wide. "...Sasuke-kun?" she said, surprised.

Sasuke, with his hands inside his pockets, tried not to show how uncomfortable he still was with Naruto's idea.

_That idiot better be the only one to face the consequences after this..._

"...I need to show you something," he finally said.

Sakura blinked. " _Show_  me something...?" she repeated. "What is it?"

Sasuke beckoned her over. "Come with me."

Sakura, still a little confused, followed after him, lagging behind. She wondered what he was going to show her, and at the same time, she felt a bit flustered that Sasuke himself was attempting to spend time with her. It felt a little like a dream.

Sasuke led her to an area not too far away from their original position. It was surrounded by what seemed to be one of the largest and thickest trees, their dominating heights blocking the sun, thus making the vicinity a lot dimmer than normal. She backed up a bit because of the compressed space, but swallowed back her tiny fear and trusted Sasuke.

When he stopped and turned around to face her, she was suddenly aware of how close they were. He had never been this close to her physically before, especially if he was the one initiating it. He had always kept her and Naruto at a somewhat impersonal distance apart even though all four of them, including Kakashi, had always been together these past few months.

Sasuke took a deep breath before speaking. "Sakura," he said in a low tone of voice. "I... need to tell you something."

Sakura's heart skipped a beat and she swallowed. Suddenly, all she could see was Sasuke.

"Y—Yes...?"

Before Sasuke could open his mouth, however, a figure in a black coat swooped down from above, landing behind him. He wore an ominous-looking mask that immediately reminded her of scary bonfire stories and horrifying monsters hiding under her bed.

The figure gave an evil, completely eerie grin.

" _BOO!_ "

And Sakura's world instantly faded to black.

"..."

"..."

"..."

"..."

Finally, Sasuke spoke. "You didn't have to wear a mask like that and scare her out of her wits," he said flatly.

Naruto gulped, hurriedly taking off said mask from his face."I—I just thought it would be a more effective scare!" he said. "...A—At least she was shocked! Maybe now her memories will come rushing in!  _Right?!_ "

Sasuke placed a hand over his face and tried not to groan. "...Where in the world did you get that ugly mask from, anyway?"

" _Hey!_ " Naruto said, sounding offended. "It's not ugly! And it's  _Kankuro's_  old mask! He gave it to me the day before we left Suna!"

"...I'm not even going to ask  _why_  he has that kind of mask in the first place..."

At that moment, Sakura stirred. Naruto hurriedly hid the mask behind him and Sasuke tried his best to look casual.

"Wha..." She clutched her head. "What happened...?"

" _Sakura-chan!_ " Naruto exclaimed. "D—Don't tell me... You're  _back_...?!"

Sakura's eyes grew wide as her vision focused on him. "...Naruto?" she uttered in surprise.

A wide grin stretched across Naruto's face and he cheered, flailing his arms in the air in his excitement. "Oh yeah! I did it! Sakura-chan's back!"

Sakura, despite herself, giggled slightly. "Naruto, what do you mean by..." Suddenly, she caught sight of the overly familiar-looking mask in his hand.

Naruto stopped his movements when he sensed a tense silence in the air. "What... What's wrong, Sakura-chan...?" he asked hesitantly, seeing the dark look on her face.

"...Hah..." Sakura took a deep breath before slowly cracking her knuckles. "...so  _you're_  the one who scared me half to death, huh...?"

" _Wh—Wha...?_ " Naruto perspired excessively.

Sasuke watched with mild amusement as Naruto met his doom.

 **[** Plan A,  _failure_. **]**

* * *

• • •

* * *

"What's that scroll you're always reading?" asked Sasuke.

Sakura glanced at him in surprise. "Oh, this?" She giggled nervously. "Um... it's nothing important."

Sasuke raised an eyebrow, but didn't say anything more.

Naruto, however, despite the previous incident, was not to be deterred. "Hey, let's play a punching game!" he suggested.

"A...  _what_?" Sasuke said, dumbfounded.

Sakura, still sore by Naruto's 'prank', only frowned in response.

"The one who punches the hardest wins!" Naruto exclaimed, gesturing towards the trees.

"...What's the point in that?" Sakura said.

"The winner gets treated by Sasuke!" Naruto said cheerfully without thinking.

"...Does that mean I treat  _myself_  if I win?" Sasuke deadpanned.

Naruto waved a hand dismissively. "Yeah, yeah, whatever you want! C'mon, let's do it!"

Sasuke groaned.  _He's not even_  trying _to be subtle at all._

Sakura hesitated. "I'm not good at anything physical, though..."

"You can do it, Sakura-chan!" Naruto encouraged before facing the tree before him, drawing back his fist with a challenging smirk. "Imma go first!"

When Naruto's fist collided with the trunk, he managed to make a medium-sized dent.

...with a small help from Kurama, but nobody needed to know that.

"Beat  _that_ , Sasuke!" Naruto said smugly.

"Hmph," Sasuke said before conjuring streaks of lighting in his hand and punching the tree with it, creating a hole.

"Wha —  _HEY!_  That's  _cheating_!" Naruto complained.

"You never said we can't use any jutsu," Sasuke said nonchalantly, a smirk of his own curving his lips. "... _dead-last_."

 _WHY YOUUU—!_  Naruto had fire in his eyes.

Meanwhile, Sakura was still hesitating in front of her own tree.

"I...  _can't_  do it," she said.

Naruto went towards her immediately. "Sure you can, Sakura-chan!" he said, positioning himself before her. "Look, you do it like this," he added, facing the tree and about to draw back his fist.

_C'mon, Sakura-chan! Remember!_

Naruto continued on without thinking, "Just pretend the trunk is Sasuke's ugly face and—"

Suddenly, a small fist sailed past his head, hitting the tree with raw brute force and missing the side of his face by mere inches.

" _What_  did you say about Sasuke-kun's face?" Sakura said sweetly.

 **[** Plan B,  _success?_ **]**

* * *

• • •

* * *

"Still not giving up yet?" Sasuke asked with a wry smile on his face, trying to hide his amusement at Naruto's haggard-looking expression.

Naruto scowled at him. " _No way!_  Plan C will have to wait till Konoha! Sakura-chan then won't know what hit her!"

"Either way, you'd still be dead."

While Naruto and Sasuke bickered, Sakura, who noticed their argument, shook her head and went back to her scroll. Kakashi, on the other hand, sighed at his students' behaviour.

He supposed that this was normal, after all.

* * *

**Meanwhile, in a mysterious hideout…**

* * *

"Do they remember?"

"I am not sure. The girl seemed to have no idea. I tried to permanently incapacitate her, but Uchiha Itachi interfered."

" _Hmph_. You probably released killing intent. You have  _always_  been sloppy."

"…"

"Are you  _sure_  they won't be getting in our way?"

"The spies I placed in Konoha are still observing them. They didn't report anything suspicious."

"They are hailed as part of the talented generation. They can sense your  _'spies'_  if you are not careful."

"…I will be careful."

"Good. This is our last chance. We will carry on Ōtsutsuki Kaguya's legacy. And  _no one_  is going to stop us this time!"

* * *

**end of intermission**


	14. Chapter 14

**VOLUME 05: CRESCENDO**

CHAPTER 5.1

* * *

"Guess what!" Kakashi's cheerful voice exclaimed.

"Ichiraku is giving free ramen?!" Naruto guessed excitedly.

"You're going to stop teaching us boring exercises?" Sasuke said flatly.

"You're going to treat us to the hot springs?" Sakura said hopefully.

Kakashi sweatdropped, looking slightly defeated. "…That's… not  _exactly_  what I had in mind…" Ignoring his students' various expressions of disappointment, he continued on. "Actually, I registered you three for the upcoming Chūnin exams after two weeks. Here are the forms."

He handed each of the genins a piece of paper. Naruto and Sasuke looked anticipated in their own way while Sakura appeared to be hesitant.

"It's your choice if you want to participate or not," Kakashi said, "but you must be able to register by 8:00 in the morning in two weeks, Monday. If one of you doesn't participate…" He glanced at Sakura, who seemed to only be half-listening. Naruto and Sasuke did not miss it. "…then either one or two of you will have to find someone to complete your team."

Naruto and Sasuke exchanged glances.

"All right, you're all dismissed for the day," Kakashi waved at them goodbye before poofing out of existence.

Naruto blinked, then extracted a forced laugh from his lips. "Well, I'm gonna participate!" he exclaimed. "You in, right, Sasuke?"

"Yeah," Sasuke hummed in agreement.

Naruto turned to Sakura, who was still staring at her form. "What about you, Sakura-chan?" he asked, trying not too sound too eager.

His question seemed to snap Sakura out of her stupor. She whipped her head towards Naruto, surprised. "I'm sorry, I wasn't listening. Did you say something, Naruto?"

Naruto's eyebrows knitted together in concern. Had Sakura been  _this_  bothered about the Chūnin Exams in the past? He sneaked a quick glance at Sasuke, who didn't seem to be all that surprised. Had Sasuke already known?

 _Wait_ … A memory sprang inside his mind, fuzzy due to the great lapse of time, but distinct somewhat. Although it was a little puzzling that he remembered it since he hadn't been paying much attention long ago, but it could count as one of the effects of time travel. All memories came in easy, even fuzzy, age-old ones.

" _Sakura, how about you? You should've noticed it first." A rare, gentle smile appeared on Sasuke's face as he turned his head towards his female teammate._

_Sakura looked startled. "What?"_

_Sasuke elaborated on. "Your skills in analysis and genjutsu know-how are the best in our squad."_

_Of course_ , Naruto realized. That was why Sakura perked up at that time, no longer quiet by his side. It was as if a small fire inside her had been rekindled. He had only been playing along then, internally a bit confused by the conversation.

"Uh… I said, you'll participate, too, right?" Naruto urged a little, his blue eyes imploring. "Sakura-chan?"

Sakura looked taken aback by his hopeful expression. Her green eyes averted their stare, seemingly interested on something unspecific to her right. Her entire countenance gave off an unsure vibe.

"I'll… think about it, Naruto," she assured, giving him a fake smile. "There's still two weeks, right? I'll… prepare."

She walked off, still clutching the form in her hand. Naruto and Sasuke watched her go.

"…Sasuke," Naruto said, turning to him with narrowed eyes. "We gotta help motivate Sakura-chan!"

There was silence. Naruto swivelled his head towards Sasuke, who did not seem to bother replying.

"Sasuke?" Naruto inquired, confused.

"…You're probably the best candidate for that," Sasuke finally answered, his gaze still seeming distant. "I have no words that can reassure her, nor am I capable of any encouragement."

"But you lifted her spirits back at the Chūnin Exams!" Naruto protested. "When you praised her for her ability to detect genjutsu!  _I_  didn't even notice that she was doubting herself, but  _you_  did!"

Sasuke was silent for a moment. "That was a long time ago," he said. "I am no longer that person."

"You're  _still_  that kind of person!" Naruto insisted hotly. "You always hide in that aloof exterior of yours, pretending you don't care when you actually do! Sakura-chan needs us right now. She thinks she's incompetent when she actually isn't!"

Sasuke turned his back on Naruto, intent on walking away.

"Sasuke!" Naruto yelled, confused. "Where are you going?"

Sasuke did not reply, turning a corner and disappearing in sight. Naruto, completely perplexed by his behaviour, sat down on the ground in thought.

_What's with him…? It almost seems like…_

* * *

• • •

* * *

Sasuke dug his hands inside his pockets, feeling conflicted. It wasn't as if he didn't care about Sakura; he worried for her back in the Suna escort mission and even took great care in re-dressing her wound after defeating all those bandits. He cared for her as a teammate, and…

His thoughts trailed off from there.

Sasuke raised his head, gazing at the exterior of his house. It was well-furnished and very traditional of the Uchiha ways, with clean, smooth shades of beige, brown, and white. Whenever he looked at it, he was reminded of his family, the family he lost to his brother years ago. That same family was here, alive and well, and seemingly content with their lifestyle here in Konoha.

Thinking of Konoha made him realize the blatant mistakes he made back when the Curse of Hatred of his clan consumed him, enveloped him in darkness. He had been a little lost along the way back then, even ready to voluntarily plunge into the darkness, but Naruto would not let him. Naruto always had unshakable faith in him, something that he himself could not understand. Even Sakura, who never gave up on him, as well as Kakashi, to an extent.

Perhaps that was why he didn't want to be the one who would cheer Sakura up. He wanted — no,  _needed_  — to apologize to her properly, to start repenting for his sins and to gain the forgiveness of those he cared the most about. But how could he do that when she was not the same Sakura that he knew? It felt alien somehow, even though there was a glaring possibility that Sakura would never come back like he and Naruto did. He felt that he was not worth it. He wasn't even capable of saving her; all he did was hurt her, and it pained him, because he didn't  _know_  how to begin showing her how grateful he was.

"Sasuke?" Itachi's voice sounded from behind.

Sasuke swivelled around, eyes wide. He hadn't detected his brother's presence; had he really been that deep in thought?

"Nii-san," Sasuke greeted politely.

"What are you doing out here? Come on, let's go inside," Itachi said, gently gripping him by the wrist and leading him to their front door. "Kaa-san was planning on making tomato onigiri, your favourite."

Sasuke's features softened, easing into a tender smile.

It was times like this that he wished Itachi came back as well. His brother always knew what to do and what to say to make him feel better.

" _But, we only have each other as siblings. Even if it's only as an obstacle for you to overcome…" Itachi turned to him, the warm glow of the setting sun illuminating the shadows on his serene face as he smiled._

_"I'm always going to be there for you. Even if you do hate me. That's what big brothers are for."_

* * *

• • •

* * *

Sakura did not go home. Instead, she went to the training grounds, staring at a rather large tree in front of her. The trunk seemed to consist of a strong, hardwood bark, a perfect training dummy for her taste. Slowly, Sakura clenched her hands into fists, then drew them back in preparation. She was both nervous and calm at the same time, like there was a weak, apprehensive fire flaring inside her, yet there was something light placed on her shoulders. A somewhat contradictory emotion, but did not feel out of place at all.

Sakura took a deep breath, then punched.

" _Ow_!" she cried out, cradling her right hand. It had just recovered from fracture, and now she felt like it was relapsing. She had unconsciously used it instead of her left hand. She looked at the tree bark. It didn't even have the slightest dent on it.

Why had she even picked such a thick tree, anyway? Since  _when_  had she been so confident in her taijutsu? Sakura sighed, leaning her forehead against the bark. It was useless. She was  _always_  going to be the one left behind, the one who was bringing everyone down.

Sakura sat on the grass in defeat, taking out one of the scrolls from the hidden pockets of her clothing. Opening it, she stared at Tsunade of the Sannin's name written on the contents.

"Tsunade-sama… Chakra-enhanced strength…" Sakura murmured, almost dazedly. "There's nothing here that tells how to do it. It only mentions her abilities." Sighing, Sakura closed it, lifting her eyes towards the sky. Twilight was starting to coalesce with the laggardly dimming sky, and she could see faint stars already in sight. "I thought I'd be able to figure out how so I can improve myself… but I don't even know where to start."

"You  _could_  start with what you have."

Sakura jolted at the unexpected voice, gaping at the masked face of her teacher who was leaning forward, seemingly smiling at her shock.

" _Kakashi-sensei_?!" she exclaimed. "What are you  _doing_  here?"

"I was passing by and I overheard your mutterings," Kakashi explained, straightening his posture and placing his hands inside his pockets. "So, you want to learn Tsunade-sama's signature move?"

Sakura nodded, pulling up her knees against her chest. She folded her hands and placed them there, resting her chin. "Yes," she admitted. "I want to improve myself, to improve my taijutsu. But I don't know how. I'm really bad at it… Ino can surely do much better than I can. I'm really… envious of her."

Kakashi said nothing as she talked, reading his usual Icha Icha Paradise book. Sakura buried her face inside the hole made by her arms, knees, and chest.

"You  _can_  do it, Sakura," Kakashi spoke up, his eyes still on his book. "You can start with what you have."

Sakura's head sprang up, her eyes wide in surprise and confusion. "With… what I  _have_?"

"Yes. With what you have." Kakashi tore his eyes away from his book to look at her, his lone eye crinkling from a smile. "I know for a fact that you're proficient in chakra control. You can start from there first."

"Chakra… control?" Sakura's mind spun. The ability to assess the correct amount of chakra for a certain technique. When a person had great chakra control, they could perform multiple techniques without wasting any excess chakra used.

But what did  _that_  have to do with Tsunade's technique?

Kakashi took that moment to stand up. "You have many options, Sakura," he said. "You can do a lot of things with your skill in chakra control, not to mention that you have hidden potential in genjutsu. Chakra control is important in genjutsu as well. You can also, like you planned, improve on your taijutsu,  _or_  you can even delve into ninjutsu."

"Genjutsu… Ninjutsu…" Sakura murmured, her thought process whirring into all sorts of potential ideas and uncertain feelings. "But I don't even  _know_  my nature transformation. I…" Her voice hung in the air as she ran out of words to say.

Kakashi looked surprised, though it was oddly hard for Sakura to tell if it was feigned or genuine. "You don't? Then here," he said, handing out a simple piece of paper towards her. "Good thing I kept a few of this. Channel your chakra into it, and you will know your nature transformation."

Sakura blinked, then did what she was told. Chakra was directed towards the material, and the paper consequently became soaked.

"Oh, a Water Type," Kakashi said approvingly. "Compatible with genjutsu and medical ninjutsu."

Sakura's eyes widened, and he could practically see that they were shining with hesitant hope.

"If you want, I can teach you some basic techniques," Kakashi said. "You already know about my Sharingan, right? I have a lot of Water Jutsus at my disposal."

"Um… I—I…" Sakura stammered, overwhelmed. "I don't know what to say, Kakashi-sensei… There are so many prospects to choose… Th—Thank you  _so_  much!"

"No problem. It's my job to take care of all of my students, after all," Kakashi said almost tenderly, ruffling her hair affectionately. "I'll leave you to your thoughts. You can give me your answer anytime. I'll be here to teach you."

"Thank you, Kakashi-sensei!" Sakura said gratefully, bowing before her teacher as the latter poofed out of existence after giving her a wave of farewell.

Sakura raised her right hand. It was red from her effort at punching the tree bark. She ignored the pain and clenched it into a tight fist.

"Chakra control…" she murmured.

_I think I know what to do now._

* * *

• • •

* * *

Sunlight streamed through the windows, causing Minato to feel the brightness hitting his eyelids. Letting out a small yawn, he got out of bed, stretching his arms and feeling the bones pop into place.

He turned his head to see Kushina, still sleeping peacefully. Minato knew that Naruto was asleep as well; he was just  _so_  much like his mother. They even sleep all sprawled out on the bed, hogging all the space.

Minato chuckled at this, then went towards the kitchen, wondering what kind of breakfast he should prepare.  _Naruto and Kushina seem to always like my pancakes, so I guess I'll cook that for them,_ he mused to himself, already getting the necessary ingredients from the cabinets. I  _can only come home often at late nights, after all._

Minato frowned at the thought. Being the Hokage was busy work, but it wasn't anything so very time-consuming that he couldn't have enough time for his family. It was just after the Kyūbi attack that things got a little hectic, what with the Council breathing down his neck. Danzō's speculation of an Uchiha involved in the ' _would-have-been_ ' destruction of Konoha apparently spurned both Koharu and Homura to start pressuring him. However, Minato remained absolutely adamant that there was no Sharingan involved, and that the masked man he encountered was surely a rogue ninja who had unimaginable power at his disposal. Disregarding the fact that the Kyūbi itself asked him not to reveal it, Minato was not stupid. He knew of the consequences that would happen. The possibility of a civil war was not something that Konoha could afford right now. The Uchihas were not only a benefit to their village, but they also had important connections to the people. Kushina's close friend Mikoto, Naruto's best friend Sasuke, Uchiha Shisui's devotion to the village…

Minato's eyes narrowed. There was no helping it. He had to keep an eye on Danzō. There was no telling what the man was capable of doing; Danzō was power-hungry, but he, in a way,  _did_  care about the village. However, his decisions often  _seemed_  to benefit  _both_  the village and his own self-interest. Minato also suspected that Danzō was hiding something, though he couldn't put his finger on what it was. He would have to need more evidence than his own circumstantial suspicions.

His thoughts were interrupted when he heard Naruto come inside the kitchen. His son was rubbing sleep from his eyes, his unruly blond hair spiking in all directions. Minato hid a smile at how remarkably identical he was with Kushina. His son may have inherited his looks, but his personality was definitely more like his wife's.

"Morning, tou-chan," Naruto greeted groggily, walking towards his father in a leisurely pace. "You're up late… What're ya makin'?"

"Pancakes," Minato answered with a warm smile as he placed said food on a platter. "I had Sandaime-sama fill in for me for a bit while I go travel to Suna in preparation for the Chūnin Exams that will be held here."

"Suna? Say hi to Gaara, Kankuro, Temari, and Uncle Rasa for me!" Naruto said with a grin.

Minato almost dropped the plate of pancakes in shock. "Uncle…  _Rasa_ …? The  _Kazekage_ …?" he echoed in disbelief.

Naruto nodded, still beaming. "Uncle Rasa was a bit intimidating at first, but he's not a bad guy at all! He even smiled once when I told him one of my famous jokes!"

Minato thought of the strict, imposing, always-frowning fourth Kazekage and blinked rapidly in confusion. Was this  _really_  the same person Naruto was talking about?

"Anyway, tou-chan, just send him my regards!" Naruto said as he gleefully took the pancakes from his father's hands and began digging into them.

"Uh… Sure… Naruto," Minato said uncertainly.

* * *

• • •

* * *

"Sasuke?"

Itachi's voice resounded in the forest where Sasuke was polishing up on his shurikenjutsu. Sasuke ceased in his training, staring wide-eyed at the unexpected appearance of his brother and a man who looked slightly familiar.

"Nii-san," Sasuke acknowledged, walking over to Itachi. He glanced at the man beside the latter who gave him a friendly smile.

"Hey there, Sasuke," the man greeted. "We haven't really met properly, have we? I'm Shisui. Your brother's boss."

Itachi closed his eyes. "Stop messing around, Shisui."

"Man, you can't even take a joke." Shisui laughed, reminding Sasuke of a familiar blond-haired knucklehead. "Anyway, I'm best friends with your brother, and I heard you're taking the Chūnin Exams.  _Congratulations!_  Only seven months of being a genin and you're already qualified by your teacher?"

Sasuke smiled politely. "Yes. My team and I are going to register next week." He didn't know if Sakura would come, but he had a feeling that she would. After all, she  _did_  come back then, even though she was a little unsure. She had a strong will; she could do it.

"Huh. Looks like somebody takes after their prodigious, similar to a statue brother!" Shisui laughed again, eliciting an annoyed expression from Itachi.

The latter frowned. "I never should have brought you here…" he muttered, though there was an underlying softness evident on his features.

Sasuke was mesmerized. He hadn't seen this expression on his brother before. Uchiha Shisui must have been very close to him to be able to bring out the human in his brother. Not that Itachi was purely emotionless; he smiled often whenever he was with him, he made small talk with his friends, he was gentle, he was a pacifist… but that was it. He only showed a part of him to those around him. Coupled with the pressure coming from their father, Itachi was  _always_  working. However, he always found the time to spend with his family, especially Sasuke.

Sasuke was nearing eight years old now in just a few months, the same age when the Uchiha Massacre occurred. He knew that it was Uchiha Shisui whom the Uchihas were saying was murdered, that he was the pride and the strongest of the Uchiha. But what Sasuke had not known back then was that he was Itachi's best friend because it was either Sasuke was too invested in getting Itachi to spend time with him or Shisui only made brief appearances before disappearing with Itachi. Sasuke did not know why Shisui was still alive, but it was a good thing. Perhaps he might even be able to persuade the Uchihas to stop their plan of a coup,  _if_  it were on their minds.

But maybe… it was also because it might be by this time that Shisui was going to be killed.

* * *

• • •

* * *

When Naruto got outside the house, he spotted Sasuke who was already waiting for him, his arms folded across his chest and an unreadable expression plastered on his face.

"Yo, Sasuke," Naruto greeted. "Why're you here today?"

Sasuke looked straight into his eyes. "You remember what I said to you back then after we talked in your Inner World? About the one thing I want to do in order to start living my life peacefully?"

Naruto's eyebrows knitted together in deep thought.

" _I have already long let go of my hatred," Sasuke said quietly. "I… can slowly and clearly see the light that you say you always see. I understand why you have always been so adamant on saving me. I will not… let those efforts go to waste. However," he added bitterly, "I cannot live my life peacefully if_ that man  _is still alive."_

" _That man…?" inquired Naruto in confusion. He couldn't possibly mean Itachi. Sasuke_ loved  _his brother._

" _I have already killed him once… I will not hesitate to do it again." Sasuke's eyes dyed red as the Sharingan inadvertently formed, its tomoes swirling among the abyss of carmine. "He may think that he has done good for the village, but all the decisions he made, ruthless as they were, were simply counter-productive. Shimura Danzō will die, one way or another, be it by my hand or by others'."_

"So, you're going to kill Danzō?" Naruto spoke in a grave manner, his eyes dimming.

Sasuke frowned slightly, standing his ground. "Then… you want him to live?"

Naruto frowned back. "I don't know… It just isn't right. We  _can't_  just take somebody's life like that."

"He has killed a  _lot_  of people, Naruto," Sasuke said stonily. "Either literally or figuratively, and sometimes even  _both._  He ruined Itachi's life. He took my brother's best friend's eye and kept it for himself, and Shisui had to give his eye to Itachi in order for Danzō not to take it, and then he killed himself. Danzō was the one who manipulated Hanzō the Salamander into killing the original Akatsuki, resulting in the death of Nagato's closest friend and therefore ruined Nagato's life as well. He even had a hand in destroying Kabuto's life."

Naruto's eyes widened at the enumeration of events, most of it he never even heard of before. "I—Is that…  _true_?! How do you know  _all_  that? Danzō… that  _bastard_ …! He was  _also_  the one who formed the organization that killed Sai's brother and destroyed whatever was left of his emotions!"

Sasuke turned away. "I have my sources." In truth, he unintentionally obtained all these information from Orochimaru himself, back when he was training under the legendary Snake Sannin. Orochimaru had a lot of information under his disposal, and sometimes he tended to talk about it, but most of the time he just dismissed them, thinking of them as unnecessary in comparison to his experimental researches.

Naruto looked positively enraged, but Sasuke could see that he was trying his best to reign it in. "So  _he's_  responsible for all that… it makes sense why you want to kill him." Then that rage slowly dissipated, and Naruto seemed a little solemn as he thought about it deeply.

Sasuke knew it wasn't in Naruto's nature. Danzō had to be put down, or else he'd do more harm than good because of his ridiculous beliefs. However, Naruto could never do the deed. Even though the idiot was probably the strongest amongst all the shinobi in the world, he was  _definitely_  too soft for his own good.

"Sometimes, violence and physical pain is necessary to protect others," Sasuke said slowly, letting his words sink inside Naruto's mind. "I'm doing it for Konoha… and for us."

Naruto's eyes were wide as he watched Sasuke's retreating back, then a small, warm smile graced his features. He was still uncertain if it was the right thing for Sasuke to do, but he'd be damned if he let his best friend do it alone. He had  _him,_  he had  _Team 7_ , and he had his _family_. He now had some things he feared to lose, but he had  _everything_ he had ever wanted.

'…and for  _us'_ , Sasuke had said. He didn't elaborate and kept it simple, matter-of-fact, but Naruto knew whom he was pertaining to.

Sasuke… was already letting them in.

* * *

• • •

* * *

"The Uchiha are assembling tonight," Danzō said from his position before Minato, his expression giving nothing away as usual.

Minato's eyes narrowed. "How do you know about that?"

"One of my ANBUs overheard them talking," Danzō replied nonchalantly. "This is our opportunity to see if they are actually planning something sinister to the village."

Minato took a deep breath. "Danzō-sama, I understand your intentions," he said calmly. "However, we cannot interfere with their clan rituals."

"With the village's safety at stake, their  _'rituals'_  have to be investigated in order for peace to be maintained," Danzō insisted. "I am being reasonable here, Minato. I know all about Uchiha Madara's legacy and his fight against Senju Hashirama, the Shōdai Hokage. If the Uchiha clan is truly innocent, then I will rest my case. But if they aren't…" His lone eye narrowed. "They must be eliminated for the sake of the village."

Minato pinched his lips together, forming a slight frown. The Kyubi hadn't exactly elaborated as to why he asked them a favour not to reveal that the masked man had a Sharingan. There was probably a reasonable explanation why; Minato certainly knew the repercussions. If civil war broke out in the Leaf Village, other nations were sure to attack, which meant a full-scale war. However, if he did not appease the Council…

"All right." Minato sat straighter as he assessed Danzō. "Shisui!"

The doors opened almost promptly, revealing the young prodigy.

"Uchiha Shisui?" Danzō exclaimed.

"Shisui will attend the assembly," Minato said, "and if Uchiha Fugaku is planning to incite a rebellion…"

Shisui, in the middle of the Fourth's speech, was startled, but then he immediately interjected in understanding, "I will use my Kotoamatsukami."

Danzō cast him a sidelong glance. "Your dojutsu…"

Minato closed his eyes. "He will have no clue that Shisui is controlling his actions. He will believe that his words are his own. Though I hardly believe that Shisui will have the chance to use it, for I still trust my own judgment that Uchiha Fugaku is not planning anything, given that no one in the village is accusing the Uchiha of anything other than the Council's mere assumptions. If anything, I would like to increase our relations with the Uchiha rather than ostracizing them for an attempted crime which they are not the perpetrators of."

A hint of unbridled indignation crossed Danzō's features, but the man reigned it in expertly. "I will respect your wishes, Yondaime," he drawled intently. "However, you must respect mine as well, at the very least."

Minato nodded. "Of course. Shisui." He gave the latter what seemed to be a semblance of an encouraging smile. "I'm counting on you."

" _Hai_!" Shisui said dutifully.

* * *

• • •

* * *

Itachi walked towards the Tower, intending to report to the Hokage about his completed mission before going on to join the assembly. His stroll was uneventful until he caught sight of his brother having a hint of purpose on his face as he ran towards an unknown direction.

"Sasuke?" he called out. "What are you doing here? Finished training with your team?"

Sasuke skidded to a halt at the sound of his brother's voice. "Nii-san," he uttered in surprise. "Aren't you supposed to be at the assembly?"

"I will go after I report to the Hokage," Itachi replied.

Sasuke seemed to be conflicted about something when he suddenly shook his head, apparently waving thoughts of hesitation away. "Nii-san, do you know where Shisui-san is?"

"Shisui?" Itachi drawled out, confused. "…He's supposed to be in the Tower, but I felt his chakra walk out and go towards the direction of the assembly location. Why do you ask?"

Sasuke's eyes widened in what seemed to be realization. "Oh, I… I just wanted to ask him more questions about the Shunshin, but I guess he's busy." He began to run once more, waving at Itachi briefly. "See you later, nii-san!"

Itachi watched him go with a small smile on his face. His brother was growing to be an excellent ninja, even though Itachi was still hesitant about the idea of Sasuke eventually becoming one of the soldiers of war. More shinobi meant more killings. However, deep inside his heart, Itachi had faith that his brother would find his own solution to attain peace.

And he would always be there for him to guide him all the way.

* * *

• • •

* * *

Sasuke had been inconspicuously tracking Danzō's location and was alarmed when the latter began trekking towards the assembly location as well, and his suspicions were confirmed when Itachi told him that Shisui was heading there as well.

If Danzō was with Shisui, then there was no mistake. Danzō  _had_  stolen Shisui's eye and implanted it as his own, just as he heard. This was probably the event wherein Shisui's death was drawing near. He didn't know  _how_  Shisui died, after all, and it was only reasonable to assume that Danzō was the cause of why he killed himself.

Well, not if he could help it. Sasuke had never really liked Danzō, after all, and Shisui was apparently one of those rare Uchiha who never succumbed to the Curse of Hatred. He'd be damned if he let that meager population diminish because of the loss of one significant death.

He knew that saving Shisui would change the timeline even more and create unpredictable ripples, but this was not his head speaking to him now. He was following what he felt was right. Besides, the addition of Danzō's death might even calm those certain ripples somewhat. Sasuke would make it a somewhat win-win situation.

However, if he were to save Shisui, he had to be careful not to reveal any of his unbelievable abilities. He was still a fresh genin, after all.

* * *

• • •

* * *

"What is it, Danzō-sama?" Shisui asked. "The assembly is about to start."

"Even if you were to persuade Uchiha Fugaku with your dojutsu's ability, what if it is not enough?" Danzō said monotonously. "If the Uchiha clan is adamant on creating dissension, then the leader would surely be outvoted."

"However, my clan is not planning a rebellion of any sort," Shisui said calmly and genuinely. "None of us even have the ability to control a Bijū, let alone the Kyūbi itself. And my beliefs are synchronized with the Yondaime's."

Danzō eyed him. "How do I know you are telling the truth? For all I know, you might be in on their plans, as well."

Shisui raised his hands slightly in an open, honest form. "I assure you, Danzō-sama, that I have  _absolutely_  no intentions of deceiving you nor the village itself."

"Besides," Danzō continued on as if he hadn't spoken, "someone who's always suspicious like me will never change. What will you do then?"

Shisui was taken aback. "But, Danzō-sama…"

"When the time comes…" Danzō glared at him, his aura changing into something bordering on intent purpose. "…will you use your Kotoamatsukami on  _me_ , too?"

"I'm…"

Shisui's voice trailed off as Danzō suddenly moved from his position, his hand speeding towards Shisui's eye. "Your Sharingan… shall be in my safekeeping!"

Shisui's eyes narrowed, his Sharingan gleaming a vibrant red. "Forgive me," he uttered firmly, his hand securing Danzō's wrist and watching as the older man slumped forward, his back hunched as his eyes closed. "It's only a genjutsu… You'll snap out of it shortly."

Shisui turned and walked away.

Danzō's hands twitched.

Suddenly, Shisui felt as if he were being forcefully pulled backwards, and then the air escaped his lungs as Danzō's fist pummeled him in the gut. He struck Shisui three times at the face before grabbing his hair and speeding his hand towards his eye.

Suddenly, Danzō let out a strangled cry.

Shisui felt his body dropping to the ground, and he gritted his teeth as he focused his vision.

When he saw Danzō, his eyes widened.

The older man was obviously enraged, and it was evidenced by two kunais that were lodged in both his hands.

"Who's there?!" he growled. "Show your face  _immediately_!"

Shisui turned his head towards a movement by the trees, and his eyes widened in shock when he saw the familiar figure approaching them.

"You're…" he breathed out.

The figure stepped out of the shadows. "I am Uchiha Sasuke." Blood-red Sharingan eyes glared malevolently at Danzō. "And you will now lose your life."

* * *

**tbc**

 


	15. Chapter 15

[ **X** ] I only realized too late that the detail of Uchiha Shisui and the events leading to his death were actually in the novel  _Itachi Shinden_. I have never read the novel, so there may be some inconsistencies that I placed here (especially because I already wrote this chapter a long time ago). Hope this helps clarify things! Feel free to correct me if there are any mistakes here!

* * *

CHAPTER 5.2

* * *

Shisui blinked rapidly, unable to believe what he was seeing.

Itachi's little brother stood there, his aura radiating killing intent (something that did not suit the young boy's appearance). Sasuke glowered at Danzō, his stance reminiscent of a tense soldier. Danzō, on the other hand, frowned, annoyed that he was showed up by a mere brat.

About eight ANBU consequently appeared by his sides, flanking him and looking prepared for battle.

Shisui acted fast. Using his trademark Body Flicker technique along with his natural agility, he ran away with Sasuke, rushing through the woods.

"Oi, let me go," Sasuke protested. "That man—"

"That man is far too dangerous for you to tackle, Sasuke," Shisui told him as he fled, his grip on the younger boy not slacking in the slightest. Shisui bit his lip, conflicted.

Danzō may not have taken his eyes, but since they were being pursued, it went without saying that he was going after him until he got what he wanted.

 _All right. I've made up my mind_ , Shisui thought to himself.  _I'll have to thwart Danzō-sama's plans somehow. I'll need to entrust my eyes to Itachi, and die before Danzō-sama can get to us._

 _However_ … Shisui glanced at Sasuke, who was still struggling in his tight grip.  _Danzō-sama won't let Sasuke go after witnessing that situation._

_Itachi… What is the best that I can do…?_

Shisui became muddled in his thoughts, unaware that Sasuke became silent.

"…Why didn't you kill him?"

Shisui sent him a startled glance. "There is no need to kill him," he said evenly.

"He won't stop until he has your eyes," Sasuke told him flatly, his gaze calm yet having an underlying intensity.

Shisui managed a small smile. "Yeah, I know."

Sasuke frowned. "What are you going to do now?"

"I'll leave you with Itachi for a while. Then—"

" _No_." Sasuke had had enough. When they reached an isolated clearing in an unknown forest, he pulled himself out of Shisui's grip with an almost effortless force, stunning the older man.

"Sasuke, don't do anything rash," Shisui said, trying to persuade him.

"I know  _everything_ ," Sasuke said heatedly. "If he manages to get your eyes, he will kill you. And then he will find a way to vindicate the Uchiha Clan, isolate them and watch over them. Then, in order to suppress the possibility of a rebellion, he will order Itachi, who is a member of the ANBU Black Ops, to massacre the whole clan for the sake of village."

Shisui's eyes widened. "What —  _How_ —"

"I overheard him and his plans before he went to the forest after you," Sasuke lied.

Shisui frowned deeply, looking like he was torn between shock, disbelief, and indecision.

"I will  _not_  let my brother get hurt anymore," Sasuke snarled, his initial calm countenance dissipating. "I will  _kill_  Danzō by my own hands!"

"You are  _no_  match for him!" Shisui protested, gripping him by the arm. "I won't let you participate in a battle which you cannot win!"

"Then…" Sasuke's blood-red eyes turned to him, his Sharingan activated once more. "…will  _you_  do it for me? For the  _clan_?"

Shisui was taken aback. This was a serious matter. He did not want to kill anyone. Perhaps if he managed to corner Danzō somehow and use Kotoamatsukami on  _him_  instead…

"All right," Shisui relented, his voice firm. "All right. I will do something about Danzō. The ANBU—"

"Leave them to me." The tomoes in Sasuke's Sharingan spun, amassing power and chakra.

He didn't like killing. However, for Danzō, he could make an exception. As for the ANBU, though…

There was movement in the trees. Sasuke immediately threw a kunai, having pinpointing the direction. Consequently, all eight ANBU revealed themselves and went at him.

" _Katon: Gokakyu no Jutsu!_ "

The great fireball only managed to barely singe one person, but his offense provided him an opportunity to redirect it around him, successfully hitting those who jumped and attempted to surround him.

Shisui, on the other hand, prepared himself for Danzō. However, the older man seemed to have other plans.

 _That nuisance of a kid…_  Danzō thought to himself, gritting his teeth.  _I'll take care of_  him _first before taking Uchiha Shisui's eyes._

In lightning-quick speed, Danzō rushed at Sasuke, brandishing a kunai in his hand. Shisui's eyes narrowed.

_Not if I can help it…!_

Shisui, a proficient user of the Body Flicker Technique, cast multiple copies of his body, some of them fending off the ANBU while himself and a few impeded Danzo's movement just before he could strike Sasuke.

Sasuke's eyes widened.  _So this is Shunshin no Shisui…_

But then he remembered something important.

 _Damn_ …! He immediately conjured the strongest Chidori he could manage in his current state.

Danzō, on the other hand, frowned at the obviously A-Rank technique being used by a young boy. However, he pushed that matter to the side for the moment, concentrating on his battle plan.  _Using up another eye would lessen my supply, but then again—_

Suddenly, he cried out in pain.

Shisui gasped. " _Sasuke_!"

Sasuke, his face covered with specks of blood, had cleanly cut through Danzō's arm, his Chidori still blazing with raging electricity.

 _Now you won't be able to use Izanagi anymore_ …!

"You… damn brat…!" Danzō choked out, seething with anger.

"What…?" Shisui breathed out, the tattered remains of the clothing covering Danzō's amputated arm revealing the column of familiar blood-red eyes. " _Sharingan_ …!?"

When the ANBU tried to intercept, Shisui's 'clones' apprehended them, knocking them out and leaving them unconscious on the ground. Shisui stared at Sasuke, who was glaring at Danzō.

" _What on earth…?!_ "

Danzō, Shisui, and Sasuke whirled around towards the new voice.

Itachi stood there not too far away from them, his eyes wide and filled with disbelief.

A familiar tuft of blond hair peeked out from behind Itachi's form.

" _Naruto_?!" Sasuke exclaimed in shock.

"Sasuke," Naruto spoke up, "I couldn't find you anywhere, so I asked Itachi-nii-chan —  _whoa_! Why's his arm on the ground?! Are those  _eyes_?!"

* * *

• • •

* * *

A loud sound came from the Hokage's table as Minato slammed his palms on it in both anger and shock. "Shisui, Itachi, are you  _certain_...?!"

"The arm is with the medical team right now," Itachi managed to say in the calmest tone he could muster. "They will provide you the verification you need."

Minato's jaw clenched. "Danzō... Where is he?"

"He is in custody of the ANBU Itachi summoned," Shisui explained. "However, Yondaime-sama... About Danzō-sama's ROOT Division..."

" _I'll_  take care of it," Minato said sternly. "And what of Naruto and Sasuke? Are they all right?"

Itachi gave a curt nod. "They are both waiting outside the door."

"Itachi," Shisui said. "You don't need to question Sasuke. I already know enough of what had actually happened."

"I am aware," Itachi said. There was an underlying iciness to his tone. "I have my own questions for Sasuke."

Minato nursed his incoming headache. "All right, I need to go to Danzō immediately. Shisui, please come with me. Itachi..." He sent the young prodigy a small, almost reassuring smile. "...you are dismissed for the day. I will call for you when I have further questions. Both of you make sure that not a  _word_  of this gets out to the village. Understood?"

"Yes, sir!"

* * *

• • •

* * *

"You're in deep trouble now," Naruto hissed. "How are you gonna explain this to Itachi?!"

"I already know what to say," Sasuke said monotonously.

Naruto slumped in his seat, looking suddenly weary. "Using the Chidori was a risky plan, you know!"

"I know that."

"Let's just wish they don't mention you using that jutsu to tou-chan... Hell, Kakashi-sensei doesn't even  _know_  that you can use it!"

Sasuke opened his mouth to say something when a figure suddenly approached them. Naruto immediately kept his mouth closed, yet his stance was a bit guarded. Sasuke, on the other hand, merely stared at his older brother.

"Nii-san."

"Sasuke." Itachi's tone was unreadable. "...I believe... you have something you need to explain to me."

**...**

**..**

**.**

* * *

• • •

[ _Two weeks later_ ]

* * *

It finally came. Early Monday morning, with the sun beginning to rise from the east. The aurora had always been an invigorating sight for Sakura, and she made it a point to get up early today so she could watch it. It made her feel as if it was a good luck charm that would bestow fortune upon her up until the end of the day.

After taking a shower and brushing her teeth, she came to a stop in front of the mirror. There was just something uninspiring about her plain outfit that made her want to change her look.

Sakura frowned and searched her closet. Not something too ordinary, nor something too striking…

 _There_. She took out pieces of clothing and dressed, letting her hair as loose as it should be. She stood in front of the mirror, assessing her appearance.

Her reflection showed an eight-year-old girl with long, very light strawberry hair along with bangs that cover the entirety of her forehead as well as her eyebrows. She wore a long-sleeved red turtleneck with white trimmings as well as a lone white circle at the back, a dark-red short skirt, and slim black leggings. She also donned sandals which give her about 0.5 cm height boost as well as a standard ninja pouch serving as a makeshift belt around her waist. She didn't have any weapons on her, but she prepared some homemade soldier pills, some kunai, and sealing and explosive tags. She took her forehead protector from the table of her dresser and tied it around her hair, making it seem like a headband.

"All right." She took a deep breath, instilling confidence inside her. "I can do this.  _Shannaro_!"

* * *

• • •

* * *

After saying goodbye to their parents and hearing them saying good luck, Sasuke and Itachi went on their way to the destination of the Chūnin Exams. Itachi was wearing the standard ANBU garb, intending on sending his little brother off before reporting to the Hokage at the Tower. Sasuke, on the other hand, had put on a simple high-collar black shirt with the Uchiha crest at the back and white shorts. His arms, however, were covered with bandages, a testament to his harsh training, and around his ankles were white leg warmers, used to conceal the heavy weights strapped there. By his waist were his ninja pouch and a brand-new sword, neatly sheathed in its scabbard.

Itachi had bought him the sword after knowing Sasuke's potential for kenjutsu. However, even though Sasuke was proficient at wielding it in his timeline, it was a bit difficult to adjust his future fighting skills into his small body. It would take time to get used to, but he was confident that he'd pull it off in the end.

Now was his chance to make his family proud, and he wasn't going to let go of this opportunity.

"Everything all right, Sasuke?" Itachi asked conversationally.

"Yeah," Sasuke answered simply.

Before Itachi could make more small talk with his brother whom he wouldn't be able to see for a while, a blur of orange rushed past them, the impact blowing strands of their hair backwards.

"Naruto?" Sasuke inquired in surprise.

True to his guess, it was Naruto. The latter, after hearing the sound of his name, stopped in his tracks and turned around. When he saw that it was Sasuke, his eyes widened for a moment before he grinned, waving at him.

"Yo, Sasuke!"

Naruto was wearing a lined orange jacket that was only halfway zipped, revealing a black shirt within. His pants were orange, but with black trimmings at the sides. What was surprising was that a silver staff was attached at his back, and Sasuke could even spot two scrolls peeking out from his back as well, seemingly placed below the staff.

"Hey, hey!" Sasuke realized that Naruto's expression was now that of pure panic. "Sorry! I overslept! I forgot that we're  _late_! C'mon, Sasuke, if we hurry, we can still make it—!"

"...What are you  _talking_  about?" Sasuke voiced out, puzzled. "We're thirty minutes early."

Naruto backtracked. "Wh—What? B—But... my alarm clock said that I was already ten minutes late..."

* * *

**Meanwhile, at the Namikaze household...**

* * *

Kushina cheerfully set Naruto's clock back to the correct time, humming to herself what a fine job she had done to get her always-oversleeping son to go to his important exams early for  _once_  in his life.

Minato, who had already donned his Hokage robes and was on the verge of transporting to the Tower, was passing by when he heard Kushina's happy humming inside Naruto's room.

Minato sweatdropped, already used to the antics of his wife and son and wouldn't be surprised if they had been doing something crazy.

"...You tricked Naruto into going early today, didn't you?" he guessed accurately.

Kushina turned around, a beaming smile on her face. " _Yes!_  And it worked  _perfectly,_  I must say, dattebane~!"

Kushina slipped out of her son's room, still humming to herself. Minato sighed, albeit in amusement.

_Those two don't even surprise me anymore..._

* * *

" _WHAAAT_?! Then... Then... my alarm clock was  _broken_?" Naruto wailed, looking exaggeratedly sad. "I had wondered why I still felt so sleepy... like it wasn't my time to wake up..."

Sasuke merely listened to his friend's mutterings ( _did he just hear Naruto mumble something about crazy, scary mothers?_ ) before he got fed up and tapped Naruto rather forcefully on the temple. "Hey, idiot, get serious or we'll  _really_  be late."

Sasuke was already walking away before Naruto could get his revenge for almost stumbling to the ground.

* * *

• • •

* * *

They arrived at the designated place with twenty minutes to spare. Though the main reason why they had to take a full ten minutes just walking towards the building was due to the fact that Naruto had attempted to pounce on Sasuke, but the latter accidentally hit him too hard, causing the blond-haired boy to shriek as he fell to the ground face-first. Thus it spurned an argument between the two while Itachi watched, eyes blinking and expression carefully neutral but in truth, he had absolutely no idea what to do.

"See you, Sasuke." Itachi waved at his little brother, who gave a small, grateful smile in response. "You can do it. I believe in you."

"Bye, Itachi-nii-chan!" Naruto waved as well.

"Naruto! Sasuke-kun!" Sakura's voice sounded from behind, and the two boys swivelled around to see their female teammate coming to a stop before them.

"The line's not very long yet," she informed them. "Let's go join the queue."

"All right! Let's do this, Team 7!" Naruto cheered, taking Sakura's hand in his.

Sakura smiled, feeling the tension inside her ease a little bit. She was still nervous of her upcoming performance, but if she had her team with her, she'd be fine. Glancing at Sasuke, she hesitated only for a moment before gently slipping her arm around his, giving him a tentative smile.

Sasuke said nothing, his expression unchanging. However, he didn't brush her off, either.

The three of them went inside and spotted the queue, quickly lining up before any team beat them to it. Naruto was first, so when the time came that he approached the desk, he gave his signed form to the Jōnins sitting by the desk.

"Namikaze Naruto," a jōnin with dark hair and equally-dark eyes, possibly an Uchiha, read off of the paper. "Please hold out your hand."

Naruto did as he was told, and the Uchiha jōnin promptly gave him a small scroll.

"Open that once you get inside the exam room," he instructed. "If you open it outside the doors, we will know and you will  _immediately_  be disqualified. Understood?"

Naruto nodded.

"All right. Next."

Sakura and Sasuke got their own scrolls as well, and went to join Naruto.

"What do you think is inside them?" Sakura asked, curiously peering at her scroll.

"We'll know once we go inside," said Sasuke.

"Then what're we waitin' for?" Naruto said excitedly. "Let's go!"

"Naruto," a familiar voice mused. "Enthusiastic as always."

Naruto's eyes widened. " _Kakashi-sensei_!" he exclaimed.

"Yo," Kakashi greeted, his right hand raised in salutation while his left hand held his usual Icha Icha Paradise book.

"Why are you here?" asked Sasuke.

Kakashi slipped his book inside his pouch. "Well, I'm here to wish you three good luck," he said genuinely, looking at the faces of his students. "And I don't fail to see what training before the Exams did to you. Naruto," he said, causing said boy to stare at him curiously, "impressive staff."

Naruto beamed. "Thanks! Tou-chan told me to practice with it for a while, not regarding it as my main weapon but as training for becoming ambidextrous. Tou-chan's ambidextrous himself, so he doesn't have any problems with balance!"

"I see. Good choice." Kakashi nodded. "Sensei has always been a great teacher. Sasuke," he said, "I see you're interested in kenjutsu. It will work well with your fire and lightning element affinity."

"Yeah." Sasuke fingered the scabbard lightly. "My brother trained me with it. I am improving each day."

Kakashi nodded again, seemingly pleased at the development of his students. Then he turned to Sakura, who fidgeted.

"And it's only Sakura who doesn't have a new weapon," he remarks, though not unkindly. "Although I suspect that you might have tricks up your sleeve. I presume you've already started on what we talked about?"

Sakura's face visibly brightened. " _Yes!_  I—I mean… I'm not good at it yet, but I'm starting to learn a lot, thanks to you, Kakashi-sensei!"

Kakashi chuckled briefly before ruffling her hair affectionately. "Good girl. Keep up the good work."

Sasuke and Naruto exchanged confused glances, unsure of the somewhat inscrutable conversation, but shrugged it off dismissively.

After Kakashi left, footsteps were coming towards them leisurely. Aburame Shino, clothed in a high-collar dark coat with a hood, effectively obscuring most of his face along with the help of his sunglasses, was walking their way, his hands inside his pockets.

"I see you've entered the Exams as well, Naruto," he addressed the Hokage's son casually.

Naruto blinked in surprise. "Oh, hey! Shino! Where're your other teammates?"

"Why?" a rough, taunting, casual voice sounded from behind him. "Looking forward to see me, Naruto?"

"Ugh, shove away, Kiba," Naruto grumbled. "Like anyone would want to see your sorry face."

Kiba bristled. "What was that?!"

"You wanna go?!"

"All right! You  _asked_  for it!"

" _U_ — _Um_!" a voice squeaked out not too far away from them. Kiba and Naruto turned around to see Hyūga Hinata, her eyes wide in fear and her hands clasped together in anxiety. "N—Naruto-kun… Kiba-kun didn't mean it…! P—Please don't fight…"

" _Eh_?!" Kiba exclaimed. "It wasn't  _my_  fault, Hinata! This dolt stared it by taunting me first!"

Naruto looked at her and remembered.

" _Did you… really think that?" he said quietly, his head hung low._

" _Huh?"_

"…"  _Naruto swallowed slightly. "I may appear strong to you, but… That's because I act all tough because I'm so frustrated from always failing…"_

" _That's not true…" Hinata interjected softly. "Even when you always fail…" She smiled at him gently. "In my eyes… you're a proud failure!"_

" _!" Naruto stared at her, both surprised and puzzled._

" _When I look at you, I get an intense feeling in my heart…" she continued on, fidgeting shyly. "Because you're not perfect… Because you fail… You have the strength to get back up… Because I believe that's what true strength is… I—I think you are an incredibly strong person, Naruto-kun…"_

"…"  _Naruto's lips slowly curved into a happy grin. "Thanks, Hinata," he said. "Earlier, I was feeling uncharacteristically depressed, but now I feel great!" He then added, "You know, about you, I…"_

_Hinata blinked. "Huh?"_

"… _thought you were… a plain-looking, dark weirdo…"_

"…"  _Hinata's shoulders slumped in disappointment._

" _But… a person like you… I really_ like _!"_

•••

" _I_  won't _let you lay another finger on Naruto!" Hinata said in determination._

" _What're you doing here!?" Naruto exclaimed. "Get out of here! You're no match—"_

" _I know…"_

" _!?"_

" _But you… you showed me the right way… I was always chasing you… wanting to overtake you… I just wanted to walk with you… I wanted to be with you…_

" _You changed me! Your smile saved me! So I'm not afraid to die protecting you!" Her back was in front of him, her hand poised into the gesture of her clan's trademark jutsu. "_ _Because… I_  love _you."_

_•••_

_Her hand, warm against his cold, clammy cheek, brought him back to reality. Her eyes, suddenly full of determination and faith, bore into him. His eyes were wide as he looked at her face, the dried tears and the weary but firm expression evident on her features._

_"Always going ahead and not going back on one's words. That's_  my _ninja way, too."_

_•••_

_"Thank you, Hinata._

_"It's thanks to you who stayed at my side."_

_Hinata…_

There was something about her resolve in him that caused him to look at her a little differently. They had never been very close friends. She hadn't kept him company when he was lonely, she hadn't offered any comforting or friendly words when he felt like he was going to explode from loneliness, she hadn't understood him like Sasuke did… He had always thought, in the past, that she was just one of those people who either ignored him, who hated him, or who were simply indifferent to him. She may be kind, but she was never there for him, to be blunt.

( _Rather, he_  couldn't _remember a time when she approached him_  before _he had bonds of his own._ )

But when she confessed to him… When she brought him out of his angst-filled mind during the war…

When she displayed that undoubtedly firm determination back in the Chūnin Exams… When she gave him medicine… When she cheered him up… When she spoke of her faith in him…

When she protected him… When she saved him…

When he made that blood promise to her towards Neji...

It made him think twice about what kind of person she really was… and  _who_  she was in his life. A stranger? An acquaintance? A friend? A classmate?

"You don't have to apologize for him, Hinata," Naruto said, looking at Kiba almost mockingly. "He always needs somebody to cover for him.  _Hah!_ "

 _A friend… A_  true _friend_ , he decided, and there was no other doubt in his mind. At this point, he realized that it didn't even need to be thought upon. It was just obvious common sense.

He respected her and admired her, too, in his own way. Just as she had unwavering faith in him, he also knew that she was one of those people who were  _always_  by his side.

Kiba growled. "Why you—!"

As the two of them duked it out on the floor, Sakura inched away from them, embarrassed at their actions, inadvertently becoming closer to Sasuke in proximity.

Someone pounced on Sasuke, steering him away from her.

"Hi, Sasuke-kun!" Ino said, beaming as she placed her hands behind her back in an attempt to look conservative. "How nice to see you here!"

Sakura glared, all signs of meekness on her visage completely disappearing. "Stop flirting with him, Ino-pig!"

"Oh?" Ino said slyly. "And what's it to you, Sakura? Jealous? I am only talking to him  _civilly_."

Sakura almost let out an indignant growl. Ino was wearing a dark-purple halter and a skirt of the same colour, coupled with white pants, an off-shoulder, long-sleeved white top behind the halter, and black sandals. Her hair, which had grown a bit longer than before and was now reaching slightly down her shoulder, was tied at the ends and came to rest on her collarbone.

"My, my, Sakura," Ino remarked. "Your clothes have become a bit more feminine, haven't they?"

Sakura pounced on the unexpected opening. "You're just jealous because I have a better fashion sense than you," she said smugly.

Ino grew irritated, taking the bait. " _Excuse me_? You're the one who dressed in boyish clothes ever since you were  _three_!"

"I did  _not_!"

"Did  _too_!"

"Did not!"

"Did too!"

"…Troublesome," Nara Shikamaru's voice floated a little in the air, unheard except by Sasuke. The latter watched as the former stared almost tiredly at his female teammate.

Shikamaru, on the other hand, had not changed his clothing style when he was twelve. He had on a simple light-grey shirt, dark-brown pants, and a grey vest with dark-green trimmings. Though there was a well-concealed dagger tied to the end of his shirt, camouflaging with the colour.

Shikamaru's eyes found his, and Sasuke noticed that it went narrowed. The genius strategist of Konoha had never really liked him in this timeline, ignoring him as much as possible. Sasuke suspected that it was because he didn't get why his teammate was so fixated on him and didn't want to cause any trouble by even attempting to speak with him.

But apparently, Shikamaru had a surprise prepared for him, because he greeted him.

"Hey, Sasuke," he acknowledged flatly.

Sasuke nodded politely in response. "Shikamaru."

Chōji took that moment to come by Shikamaru's side, busily eating a bag of potato chips. He didn't change much, either. He wore a green vest, a beige t-shirt, and grey pants. Chōji and Shikamaru, best friends as they were, had always been simple with their tastes in fashion.

"Ino and Sakura are at it again, huh?" Chōji remarked conversationally.

Shikamaru sighed. "Yeah."

"How youthful! A friendly fight between classmates!" Rock Lee's voice swooped in, tone excited and energized. "Let me take this opportunity to join in!"

Just when Lee joined the fray between Naruto and Kiba, Tenten and Neji came too late, the former panting and the latter glaring at his teammate.

" _Lee_ ," Neji gritted out, "this is  _not_  the time to be fighting when in one moment now we could be called inside the room!"

"Forget it, Neji," Tenten gasped. "Once those three are brawling, there's no stopping them."

Hyūga Neji, who once died when protecting Hinata and Naruto, was still relatively the same, with his beige jacket and dark pants. Tenten, on the other hand, variated slightly, wearing a beige Chinese style top and white pants, coupled with four scrolls attached to her back as well as a thick spear.

The chaos started when a random genin rushed past Sakura, accidentally pushing her to Naruto, Lee, and Kiba's brawl. Sakura tried to gain back balance by instinctively grabbing Ino's blouse, but all it did was make the two of them join the fight. Meanwhile, Ino tried to do the same as Sakura did by grabbing Shikamaru, but the latter was dragged in as well. Chōji, his eyes wide, tried to grab Shikamaru, but he got into the fray, too. Tenten, whom Chōji knocked into on the way, also got involved. Neji instinctively took hold of her wrist, but one accidental poke in the eye courtesy of Naruto's finger was more than enough reason for him to take revenge. Hinata, who gasped in shock when her cousin's eye turned red, tried to help him, but her arm got accidentally grabbed by Lee, who thought she was Kiba.

Sasuke watched all of this unfold with wide,  _wide_  eyes, suddenly unsure of what to do.

"Hey, hey!" a familiar voice cut in, snapping Sasuke out of his trance. "Those Konoha ninjas are a little too excited for this, eh, Sasuke?"

Sasuke turned around. "… _Kankuro_?"

Kankuro grinned almost maniacally. "Let  _us_  handle this."

" _Us_ …?" Sasuke saw Gaara and Temari take a step forward. Gaara had his eyes closed, while Temari was excitedly cracking her knuckles.

"I… will grab Naruto away," Gaara said slowly.

Kankuro went to work, immediately jumping into the fight.

"Whoa,  _Gaara_!?" Naruto exclaimed in pleasant shock, in the process of kicking Lee in the shin. "When did you become a  _genin_?!"

Gaara managed to smile while effortlessly sweeping Shino off his feet quite literally with his sand. "My father convinced the Council to let me graduate very early."

" _Wow!_ " Naruto's eyes almost bulged out of their sockets. "But—But it's only been  _three_  months! Is that even  _possible_?!"

"My father oversaw my progress and was immensely satisfied. He then decided that I be home-schooled with literal studies but be graduated from the Academy very early so that I could only focus on honing my sand's control."

 _Ah… So it's because Suna values its jinchuriki…_  Naruto thought to himself as he absently stomped on Kiba's foot, causing the latter to yelp in pain.

The doors to the exam room opened, revealing a familiar figure with two scars on the right side of his face. He had dark hair tied up into a spiky ponytail, dark eyes, a goatee, and a stern yet at the same time a comically confused expression on his face, the two contrasting countenances somehow managing to blend in together.

" _D_ — _Dad_ …?!" Shikamaru exclaimed, still rubbing the sore spot on his head courtesy of Ino.

Shikaku looked across the room, seeing the highly-regarded talented rookie generation looking all beat-up in their own ways, except for the prodigious second son of the head of the Uchiha clan. The infamous Sand Siblings were there as well, and they were unscathed, too. Shikaku tried to ignore the fact that Kankuro was stopped in the middle of pinching Kiba's ear, Temari seemed to be attempting to open her giant fan, and Gaara was covered with sand. And it was not only him. The floor,  _and_  the rookies, as well.

"Well… this is certainly an interesting batch," Shikaku commented nonchalantly, noticing that the genins of the other villages were glaring venomously at the actions of the famous Konoha 12. "We will now proceed with the first test. Everyone, follow me into the room and then proceed with opening your scrolls only when I say so. Is that clear?"

There was a chorus of quiet agreement as well as a variety of curt nods. Shikaku, satisfied, went into the room first, followed by all the genins.

Once the doors were closed and he gave the go signal, everyone opened their scrolls.

"Number three ( **三** )," Naruto read off the single kanji, slightly confused.

"One-hundred one ( **百一** )," Sakura read, her thoughts swirling in clarity. "Are these possibly…  _seat_  numbers?"

"Fifty-two ( **五十二** )," Sasuke said, meeting the gazes of his teammates. "Looks like we're distanced from each other."

"Okay," Shikaku's voice announced as he gestured at the seating arrangement of the room. "As you can see here, there are exactly  _153_  seats since there are a total of fifty-one teams participating in the Exam. Sit down according to the seat numbers on your scroll, and we will begin the test shortly."

When all of them did as he told them, Naruto found himself sitting next to Kiba. He groaned, burying his face in his hands. Sasuke, on the other hand, was distanced from everyone, except maybe for Shino, who was sitting about two rows away from him. Sakura was only two seats away from Hinata.

The papers were already on the desks, planted face-down so they wouldn't see its contents.

"All right. Welcome to the first test of the Chūnin Exams, which is as you can see, a literary one," Shikaku announced with underlying boredom in his tone. "Now flip the papers."

Naruto turned over his test, then gawked at the questions.

 _This… This is…_  He gulped heavily. … _overkill_!

The test paper's length was 8.5" x 14", and the font size was small yet it was apparently readable. There were five questions all in all, crammed into the single page except for a small, boxed space at the bottom about two inches long and three inches wide. The five questions weren't even the basic ones which they were taught back in the Academy. It consisted of complex solvings and in-depth analyses which made Naruto's head spin wildly.

This was  _impossible_! Omit the fact that he never really paid much attention in class; he was absolutely certain that these questions weren't even the type given to genins! Not to mention that the proctor was  _Shikamaru's dad_  himself! Nara Shikaku was a genius, and he had  _years_  more experience than Shikamaru. These questions were exactly the type asked of geniuses like him, and  _not_  the average ninja!

What was this? Was this the same as Morino Ibiki's test? Did he have to lighten everyone's spirits up again?

Naruto swallowed the heavy feeling in his gut and glanced up at Shikaku, who was oblivious to the looks of utter disbelief implanted on almost every genin in the room.

"As you can see, there's an answer box at the bottom," Shikaku said. "Place your answers there and nowhere else."

That statement brought out loud outbursts.

Kiba stood up. "Shikaku-san!" he exclaimed. "With all due respect, a—all the answers can't fit inside this box! How can we—?"

"Then find a way," Shikaku said flatly. "Your answers should only be placed  _inside_  that box. It is adequate enough. If it doesn't fit, then try your best to cram them all inside. You are ninjas; you should be able to look underneath the underneath."

 _Underneath the underneath…_  Naruto's eyes widened in recognition.  _Hey… that's Kakashi-sensei's line!_

_Where's Shikamaru's dad going with this?_

"You all have pencils in hand," Shikaku continued on. "You can erase your answers if they can't fit so you can find  _another_  way to fit them inside. If you're planning to cheat, it's useless, because there are more than  _four_  different sets of papers. The Exam will end in exactly two hours." He glanced at the ticking clock on the wall, which showed that it was nine-fifteen. "At eleven-fifteen, I will collect all papers and determine who passes. If one member of the team fails, then  _everyone_  in that team fails as well. These are all the rules. Now, start!"

Everyone instantly buried themselves into their respective test papers.

Everyone… except  _one_.

Naruto felt like digging up a hole and hiding in there forever.

_Nooooooo! Help me, Sasuke! Sakura-chaaaan!_

* * *

**tbc**

* * *

[ **X** ] In case anybody's wondering:

•• Sakura's  _eight_  now because... yeah, her birthday came and passed. I just didn't place it in this chapter. I'll write what happened in an omake.

•• Sasuke and Itachi's talk was not written in this chapter because of spoiler reasons. ( _I promise it's really necessary!_ )

•• Information about Danzō and the arm will be revealed in later chapters.

•• I am not a fan of NaruHina, so I am at a loss as to how I can explain their relationship. ( _I don't dislike it, though._ )

 


	16. Chapter 16

[ **X** ] I apologize firsthand for my inability to reveal the questions on the paper. My IQ is not even  _nearly_  as high as Shikaku's, so I'd probably lose face if I try to make up some facts and complex solvings here, even if I  _am_  an Engineering student. I doubt Chemical Engineering is going to be present in ninja studies anyway…?

* * *

CHAPTER 5.3

* * *

"Stupid oyaji…" Shikamaru muttered, staring at his test in dismay. "You sure went all out on these questions…" He let out a sigh, closing his eyes and letting his mind drift.

Ino panicked as she skimmed the contents of the paper.  _These questions aren't what we were taught about in the Academy!_

 _Shikamaru_ … She stared at her teammate about more than five inches away from her, boring holes into his back as if willing him for the answers.

Chōji released a bated breath.  _I… don't know any of them_ , he thought to himself, dispirited. He raised his head, spotting Ino at the far end.  _I hope those two find a way around this._

Tenten groaned.  _Neji could probably answer at least one of these…_

Lee smacked his face on the table.  _Gai-sensei…! I'm very sorry…!_

Shino stared at the paper in front of him. He could probably answer some questions, but most of them would only be hypothetical. He doubted that Shikaku would accept his answers.

Hinata squeaked as quietly as she could, swallowing the heavy lump in her throat _. These are so difficult…_  Her lips trembled in apprehension.  _Every question seems to involve both conceptual findings and practical applications. Shikaku-san is amazing…_

Kiba slumped in his seat, defeated. He had absolutely no idea what to do.  _Perhaps it would be better to just give up now and wait for next year, when Shikaku-san isn't the proctor anymore…_

He glanced at his side.  _Although I think I'm much better off than that idiot…_

Beside him, Naruto was as stiff as a statue, unmoving and sweating profusely. He had no problem with himself strength-wise; he now had the power to protect his precious people. However, this was the first time that he felt completely,  _utterly_  powerless.

This was just  _crazy_!

Sasuke finished answering the first question in the box, making his handwriting as small as it could be. For him, the question was rather more on a moderate level rather than difficult if one analyzed it very carefully. He shot a glance at Naruto, whose bright, spiky blond hair was unmistakable. He seemed to be very rigid, and Sasuke would bet everything he had that Naruto had completely  _no_  idea what to answer or even where to  _start._  Shaking his head at his teammate's predictable movements, he glanced at Sakura, who was seated at the far left.

His eyes widened.

Sakura looked as composed as she could be, answering the questions fluidly.

* * *

• • •

* * *

 _These kanji…_  Sakura mused to herself, her eyes drilling at the words.  _They look familiar… like…_

… _a pattern?!_

Putting her pencil down, she traced the kanji characters with her finger, trying to pin down what was it that was  _so_  familiar.

_Kanji… then hiragana…_

_Those characters…_

_Five questions…_

_Small answer box…_

Sakura's mind reeled. There was  _something_  here, something she couldn't quite put her finger on. It wasn't coded; no, just slightly. But there was something nagging at the back of her mind, urging her…

Sakura buried her face in her hands. What  _was_  it?! It was so  _frustrating_. She tried to grab onto vestiges of a clue, yet it slipped through her fingers like water. She had to concentrate! She had to  _focus_!

 _What_  was it that she was missing?

 _All right_ , she told herself, taking a deep breath.  _It's like when you lose something. You retrace your steps._

She thought back to Shikaku's words of instruction, relying on her good memory.

" _As you can see, there's an answer box at the bottom," Shikaku said. "Place your answers there and nowhere else."_

 _Then that means no answering at the back of the page where there's a lot of space_ , she concluded.  _But_ why _? Why the box alone? The box is only adequate enough for the answers to about two questions or so…_

_Unless…_

" _Then find a way," Shikaku said flatly. "Your answers should only be placed inside that box. It is adequate enough. If it doesn't fit, then try your best to cram them all inside. You are ninjas; you should be able to look underneath the underneath."_

 _Underneath the underneath…_  Sakura gripped the edge of the paper, inadvertently crumpling it in the midst of her deep thought.

" _You all have pencils in hand," Shikaku continued on. "You can erase your answers if they can't fit so you can find another way to fit them inside. If you're planning to cheat, it's useless, because there are more than four different sets of papers. The Exam will end in exactly two hours." He glanced at the ticking clock on the wall, which showed that it was nine-fifteen. "At eleven-fifteen, I will collect all papers and determine who passes. If one member of the team fails, then_ everyone _in that team_ _will fail. These are all the rules. Now, start!"_

Sakura's eyes fluttered open. She sent a quick glance at Shikaku, who was looking at them with a bored gaze, not even really paying attention to some of the withering glares he was receiving.

_Shikaku-san looks like he isn't worrying about anything… and he's the only one in the room who's keeping an eye on us…_

Sakura's breath caught in her throat. She immediately stared at the clock on the wall, realizing that fifty minutes had already passed.

 _That fast…?!_  She panicked.  _One hour and ten minutes to go… Oh, gawd, and I still haven't_  fully _figured this out!_

* * *

• • •

* * *

Shikamaru opened his eyes after his brief relaxation, then faced the test once more, his eyes resting on the writings as if memorizing them leisurely.

_Guess I'd have to put an effort to this… or else I'd be taunted as being dumber than my dad…_

Shikamaru closed his eyes, then moved his hands into a certain position.

In less than eight minutes, he opened his eyes. "Ah, I see," he said flatly before proceeding to write on the answer box in simple, quick strokes.

Shikaku noticed his son and smiled.  _Good. I would've been disappointed if he hadn't figured it out sooner._  He noticed that a girl with vibrant pink hair seemed to be lulling over the test, her eyes narrowed in concentration as opposed to the other defeated looks of the genins around her.  _And_  she _seems to have a bit of promise._

 _Look underneath the underneath._   _Heh_. Shikaku smirked.  _I've only just realized how useful Kakashi's words are._

He glanced at the clock and stood up, catching the attention of every genin in the room.

"One hour has already passed," he announced, not missing the collective stares and gawks of disbelief and pure defeat. "I am going to give you all a  _hint_ : if you  _still_  don't get the answers by this point, you  _can_  leave the room and try again next year."

There was a beat of silence. No one wanted to be the first to leave.

That is, until a brown-haired boy shakily stood up, clenching his hands into fists.

" _I give up!_ " he yelled. "These questions are _ridiculous_! I hope  _you_  won't become the proctor again next year!" Courageously, he sprinted towards the exit, his flabbergasted teammates running after him.

The leave sent a chain reaction. Many teams stood up and left, angry, dejected, disappointed, and resigned, leaving behind only those who were determined to see the test through to the end.

Fifty-one teams now dwindled to a mere twenty-six.

"Then I presume the rest of you would like to stay?" Shikaku inquired.

Some heads nodded. Shikaku nodded back in response, slipping into his seat and proceeding to watch them with half-lidded, almost tired eyes.

It was then that Shikamaru stood up.

Ino and Chōji stood up as well, alarmed.

" _Shikamaru_!" Ino cried out in surprise. "What are you  _doing_?"

"A—Are you giving up?" Chōji asked, though he was more afraid of Ino than failing the exams.

Shikamaru sighed. "…What do you take me for? I'm not giving up," he stated in a matter-of-fact tone. "I'm just going to you two."

Ino and Chōji went stiff.

" _Eh_?!" Kiba stood up, indignant. "Oi, Shikaku-san! I know he's your son, but is that  _allowed_? That's  _cheating_!"

Sakura, forcing her shyness away, stood up immediately, her chair slamming into the table at her back with such impact that it caused a sea of faces to look at her.

Naruto, who had long since snapped out of his panic trance, stared at her. "Sakura-chan…?"

Sakura's throat went dry at the stares, but she swallowed back her hesitance.

"It's allowed," she said, her voice becoming clear and steady. "Shikaku-san never said anything about no cheating. Therefore… we can stand and go to our teammates and help them out."

Shock filled the room.

Shikaku smirked. "I won't say anything else, but that my rules  _only_  say that you place your answers inside the answer box, and that I will collect all your papers by the time it's eleven-fifteen."

Kiba's jaw dropped in astonishment. "Y—You mean…  _All_  this time…?!"

"Ino. Chōji." Shikamaru beckoned them over. "Come on. Let's finish this and pass."

Ino and Chōji both snapped out of their shock and ran over to him, excitement filling their chests.

"All right, Shikamaru!" Ino cheered.

"Naruto! Sasuke-kun!" Sakura called out. "I think I'm close to figuring it out now!"

Naruto and Sasuke exchanged glances, then nodded as they rushed over to their female teammate.

Lee and Tenten ran over to Neji while Hinata and Kiba went to Shino, who was halfway on solving the test paper.

"Ugh, I kind of get it now," Temari said gruffly, slightly irritated that she didn't figure it out sooner. "Gaara! Kankuro!"

"What do you know, Sakura-chan?" Naruto asked.

"It's like this!" Sakura exclaimed in realization, pointing at the questions on her paper. "Sasuke-kun, combine the kanji characters from the first and last characters of every first question on each of our papers. If it doesn't fit, try the characters before or after them."

Sasuke did as he was told, his mind whirring as his fingers moved fluidly on their own.

He wrote the final, solved question on the back of his paper.

_Who is the "king" you must protect?_

Naruto released a breath. "The…  _'king'_ …?"

"It must be referring to the shōgi game," Sasuke realized. "Nii-san plays that game sometimes."

"This is my question since the first word came from my paper," Sakura managed. "What are yours, Sasuke-kun? Naruto?"

After five more minutes, Sasuke's question was:

_Which of your teammates is the weakest link and why?_

And Naruto's was:

_Who in your team would make the perfect decoy and why?_

Naruto smirked. "I know the answer to this."

Sasuke nodded. "Mine as well."

_No one._

Sakura bit her lip, feeling that odd sense of being out of place once more. "I—I don't know the answer to mine."

"The game of shōgi may refer to the village, especially its inhabitants," Sasuke inferred, looking thoughtful. "The  _'king'_  is a figurative figure."

"Then… the Hokage…?" Sakura tried.

"…I don't really get it," Naruto began cluelessly, "but if you're protecting something, then wouldn't it be the  _people_  of the village?"

Sasuke and Sakura stared at him in surprise.

Naruto grinned. "And let's not forget the next generation as well,  _dattebayo_!"

* * *

• • •

* * *

The first test was over when they all passed and were made to wait outside while Shikaku checked their papers along with some jōnins. The Rookie Twelve talked to each other excitedly, marvelling at Shikamaru's quick wit as well as Sakura's intelligence. There was even note of Shino as a close fourth, because Neji figured it all out not too long after Shikamaru and Sakura did.

The Sand Siblings only interacted more with Naruto and his team, but made small talk with the others, too. Kankuro avoided Shino, but seemingly had a common topic with Kiba. Temari mostly minded her own business, but was interested in Tenten's choice of weapons. Gaara, on the other hand, kept to himself, but after being pulled in by both Lee and Naruto, he found himself talking to them and actually enjoying their company.

It was not long after that Shikaku called them back inside the room.

"The ones who passed are…" He read off the list. "Aburame Shino. Hyūga Hinata. Inuzuka Kiba. Nara Shikamaru. Yamanaka Ino. Akimichi Chōji. Namikaze Naruto. Haruno Sakura. Uchiha Sasuke. Hyūga Neji. Tenten. Rock Lee. Gaara. Temari. Kankuro. Kobayashi Jino. Fujio Kuni…"

There were varying degrees of excitement pumping the room. After Shikaku read the last of the names, a few dejected teams left the room while the rest cheered at passing the test.

"So, all in all…" There was a semblance of a smile on Shikaku's face. "…twenty-one teams passed."

But before they could bask in their triumph, the doors suddenly slammed open, and a figure appeared in the doorway, a bright, excited, and almost feral grin painting her face.

"So  _these_  are the ones who passed the first exam? Man, they're  _so_  many! Congratulations,  _dattebane_ ~!"

Naruto froze at the voice, his head turning around slowly. When he spotted the familiar long, beautiful red hair, his jaw dropped open in shock.

" _K—Kaa-chan?!_ " he exclaimed.

Kushina's eyes widened momentarily, and she searched the sea of faces for her son. When she spotted him, she waved frantically.

" _Naruto!_  Oh, my!  _Congratulations!_  I always thought you'd  _never_  get past the literal test!  _Ahahahaha_!" Kushina laughed boisterously.

Naruto sweatdropped, hanging his head low. "…Thanks for the support, kaa-chan…" he muttered defeatedly.

"All right! Now that the first test is over, let's now proceed to the second!" Kushina announced, flipping her hair back. Naruto only now noticed that she was wearing the standard jōnin uniform as opposed to her usual green dress that she wore in the house. "I am Namikaze Kushina, your proctor for the second test! Shikaku may have passed so many of you, but don't think that you'll get past  _my_  test in one piece!"

Naruto could see that most of the genins weren't taking his mother seriously, cheerful aura and all. He gulped. There was a reason why he always called Kushina ' _scary_ '. Those poor chaps just didn't get it yet…

"Tch. Overconfident woman…" one Grass nin muttered under his breath.

His teammate chuckled. "I bet you we can get past her test in  _less_  than an hour!"

Unfortunately for them, Kushina heard it, her head snapping towards that certain team. A smile was still plastered on her face; however, her eyes were now narrowed, and her hair started to stand up at the ends, reminiscent of the Kyūbi's tails.

"What was that, my dears…?" she articulated slowly, her eyebrow twitching.

The Grass nins looked at her and gulped, sudden fear rising in their throats. It was like her eyes were a pure, demon-like  _red_!

" _N_ — _Nothing_ …!" they chorused.

Kushina instantly reverted back to her cheerful countenance. "I see! Now, let's all get going, shall we?"

* * *

• • •

* * *

"The Forest of Death," Kushina announced, grinning in enthusiasm. "Here is where the second test will be commencing! I will need to announce that this is a  _race_."

"A race…?" Shikamaru muttered. "What a drag…"

Kushina nodded vigorously. "Yes, a race to the tower! However, there are certain…  _tasks_  each team needs to fulfill. Before I call on the first team to receive them, though, I will need all of you to sign a waiver!"

"A waiver for what?" one Rain nin with long blonde hair asked.

"For your  _lives_ ," Kushina replied cheerfully. "I can't guarantee that all of you will come out alive from this forest, after all, dattebane!"

 _Kaa-chan…_ Naruto thought, sweatdropping.  _Your happy, sadistic smile isn't helping…_

Apparently done having fun, Kushina sombered, her eyes taking on a depth of seriousness. "Experienced jōnins and chūnins will be patrolling the forest from the outside, staying on guard in case any of you are on the verge of death. However, there will always be cases wherein it  _will_  be too late to save any of you. So, after signing the waivers, line up at the stall by the right so I can give each team their respective scrolls. Is that understood?"

The female Rain nin who made an inquiry earlier placed a hand on her hip, her visage remaining expressionless.

Her male teammate with silver hair and glinting brown eyes folded his arms across his chest, a smirk playing at his lips. "Hmm… This is interesting. What do you think, Yuka? Hatori?"

Hatori, tall, dark-haired, and wearing glasses that gave him a somewhat scholarly look, closed his eyes. "Lie low, Kyo."

Kyo looked positively affronted. "But I haven't  _done_  anything!" he protested.

Hatori sent him a withering glance. "… _Yet_ ," he emphasized.

Kyo pouted, looking away from his traitorous teammates. "You guys are  _so_  mean."

Not too far away from them, Rock Lee pumped his fist into the air, seemingly pumped up.

" _Yosh!_  Now is my time to make Gai-sensei proud of me!"

"I wonder what kind of task we'll be given…" Tenten pondered.

"Let us go get our waivers firsthand," Neji said, already walking towards the jōnins who were handing them out to the teams.

"This forest looks kinda scary," Chōji mumbled, pausing in the middle of eating his chips.

"Well, of  _course_  it does!" Ino said confidently, trying not to show her apprehension. "This wouldn't be the Chūnin Exams if it weren't challenging!"

"The first test was already challenging enough," muttered Shikamaru.

"C'mon, guys!" Kiba beckoned, stopping in the midst of his run and swivelling towards his teammates. "Let's go!"

"W—Wait, Kiba-kun…" Hinata panted, feeling numb at her inner fear.

"We are not in any particular hurry," Shino informed him.

Kiba looked dismayed. "Aren't you guys excited at all? I'm pumped up and I wanna kick some ass!"

"Hey, guys!" Naruto called out, waving at Hinata and Shino.

"Hey, I'm here, too," Kiba growled.

Coincidentally, all the Rookie Twelve were gathered in one place, exchanging either tense or friendly greetings with each other. Some ninjas from the neighbouring countries glanced at them with various emotions: interest, disinterest, disbelief, and annoyance.

"They're letting  _kids_  participate in the Exam?" Kyo muttered.

"You've already seen them in the first exam, and that was your exact question as well," Hatori informed him flatly. "Remember that  _they_  are the reason we even passed in the first place."

"But I still can't believe it," Kyo insisted, forcefully ignoring Hatori's implied insult. "They can't be any older than  _eight_!"

"Then it must mean that they are smart and strong," Hatori said absently, his gaze focused instead on the forest, listening to the faint roars of the fierce animals dwelling inside.

" _Hah!_  Even the strongest kid doesn't yet have the mindset of a chūnin!" Kyo said, shaking his head. "Kids are  _immature_. They can't handle being leaders of squads yet."

"Leave them be, Kyo," Hatori said in disinterest. "If they are incapable, they will either fail the test... or  _die_  in the forest."

* * *

• • •

* * *

Sakura stared at the form in her hand with half-lidded eyes. If she were to die here… she would no longer be with her family, with her teammates, with her friends… Her life would end and that would be it, not to mention that Naruto and Sasuke would fail as well,  _possibly_. How could she be able to survive inside that deadly forest with her meager abilities?

Inadvertently, she placed a hand on her forehead, feeling the thick bangs covering said part. She still felt that she didn't have enough to show, that she wasn't ready to make chūnin yet. But her teammates, Naruto and Sasuke, were  _more_  than ready and were  _far_  more capable than  _she_  was. They even signed their waivers without any hesitation on their parts. She, on the other hand, was  _still_  conflicted.

But she got safely past the first test, right? It would be worthless if she gave up now…

Almost robotically, Sakura wrote her name and signature on the paper.

… _I will not become a coward again,_ she promised to herself.

* * *

• • •

* * *

When Team 7's turn was up, Kushina faced them with a gentle smile on her face.

"I know you three will pull through," she encouraged. "Especially  _you_ , Naruto. Don't disappoint me, all right? If I find out that you're only goofing off and letting your teammates do all the work…"

Naruto, sweating profusely, shook his head, flapping his hands back and forth. "I—I would  _never_  do that, kaa-chan! Hehe…"

Kushina still retained her soft smile. "Good. Now, Team 7, under elite jōnin Hatake Kakashi, this is your assigned scroll."

Sasuke was the one who received it, scrutinizing the outward appearance. There was nothing particularly striking about it, just that it was designed plainly with a dull, beige colour.

"You will  _not_  open that scroll at  _any_  costs," Kushina warned. "Also, that is not the scroll you need in order to be able to go to the Tower."

When she received confused looks, she elaborated, "That scroll you have is the scroll a  _certain_  team needs. Basically, it's up to you whether or not you fight them in order for them to have it,  _or_  you use it as blackmail if ever they have  _your_  scroll in their hands."

"Wait," Sakura said, alarmed. "You mean we have to  _seek_   _out_  other teams so we can search for our  _own_  scroll?"

Kushina nodded. " _Correct!_ "

"What does our scroll look like?" Naruto asked.

"Team 7's scroll has black and white stripes. Remember that," Kushina said carefully. "If you accidentally take the wrong scroll and open it once you're at the Tower, you immediately  _fail_."

Naruto gulped. This was suddenly more tense and difficult compared to the Chūnin Exams proctored by Anko.

His mother  _truly_  was a scary woman.

"Now, don't think that that's  _all_  you have to do," added Kushina, inwardly laughing at the varying incredulous looks from her son's team. "You still have  _another_  task assigned to you." She reached out from under the table, grabbed something, and revealed it to them. It was another scroll, this time with grey and pink colours. "Now this scroll is not like the other one. Find the team with the exact same scroll as this, and  _eliminate_  them."

" _K—Kill_  them?!" Naruto exclaimed, his eyes as wide as saucers.

Kushina's eyes hardened. "Not necessarily," she said quietly. "Just take the scroll from them by force —since I doubt they'd  _let_  you take it from them since this is a race — and bring the  _three_  scrolls to the Tower."

Sakura was wringing her hands together, feeling the instant clamminess of her skin. This was getting more and more difficult. The first test was completely tame compared to the second, and they hadn't even  _started_  yet!

"Now, remember this," Kushina said in a tone that commanded their full attention. "Open the three scrolls  _at_   _the_   _same_   _time_. Do  _not_  open them one by one. Each of you will have your own scroll to open, so open them  _simultaneously._  If you don't, there will be repercussions, and it will  _not_  be pretty."

Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura gave firm nods that they understood.

Kushina leaned back in her seat. "Good. Now, any questions?"

They shook their heads.

Kushina gave them an encouraging smile. "Good. Now hide those scrolls inside your pouches and wait for the signal outside. We'll probably be starting the second test by late afternoon since there are more teams I need to relay information to. Take this time to equip yourselves with something useful in order to survive in the forest. The other jōnins are already informing the other participants to do the same. Come back here at 5:00 sharp. If you're late, you're immediately disqualified."

"Yes, ma'am!"

Kushina watched them go, a small smile still plastered on her face.

_Naruto… Good luck._

* * *

• • •

* * *

By the time the designated time was approaching, the first batch were gathered around in a circle around the wide forest, waiting for their respective gates to be opened. The second batch wasn't due to go inside until the first batch disappeared for five minutes. It was Kushina's idea since there were unexpectedly many teams still left after the first test.

 _As expected of the talented rookie generation of Konoha,_  Kushina thought proudly.

Kiba flexed his arms, readying himself. Hinata and Shino stood beside him, the former hesitant while the latter showing no obvious emotion on his part.

Lee was pumped up, jogging in place while Neji and Tenten tried not to look his way.

Shikamaru sighed, mumbling to himself. Ino attempted to wrestle Chōji's chips out of his hands, but to no avail.

Naruto exchanged a glance with Sasuke, who nodded at him with a small, almost imperceptible smile on his face. Sakura watched her seemingly confident teammates and tried not to shrink into herself.

When it struck five, Kushina hollered, " _Start_!"

All the teams instantly rushed into the forest.

* * *

**tbc**

* * *

[ **X** ] Haha... I guess I made the first test too simple. I didn't have any other ideas. Hope you all enjoyed regardless!


	17. Chapter 17

[ **X** ] Ahaha... _surprise...?_ ............I am so _so_ sorry! I accidentally lost my copy of this fanfic ( _all that hard work... gone in an instant... just like that... *cries in a corner*_ ) so I had to write this chapter out of memory. I hope it isn't inconsistent or contains any holes. If there are mistakes, again, feel free to tell me about them! ^_^ I probably can't update this regularly anymore. School is taking up so much of my time now that I can only either scroll posts on Tumblr for a short while or create small fics...

* * *

CHAPTER 5.4

* * *

"This looks like a good spot!"

Naruto collapsed onto a heap of grass, a silly smile painted on his face. The location he found seemed convenient enough; it was reminiscent of a cave, but carefully camouflaged among the large trees. The entrance was small, but it was big enough for them to fit inside.

Sakura, however, felt a little anxious. She started to search around the relatively small space, looking for a makeshift cover for the hole which they slid into.

"Ah, _here_! _"_ she exclaimed, picking up what appeared to be a part of a tree's trunk which was peeled off. She then proceeded to cover it against the hole when Sasuke's voice suddenly stopped her.

"Wait." He walked past her, intending to go outside. "We won't be able to see much inside if you do that, especially because it's nearing dusk. I'll go and scout around the perimeter in case there are some teams nearby. All three of us have flashlights, so lack of illumination isn't a problem."

Naruto grinned, sending him a thumbs up. "Nice one, Sasuke!"

"Sakura." Sasuke turned to his female teammate, eyeing the slightly crestfallen expression on her face. "You're a Water Type, aren't you?"

She looked at him in surprise. "Y—Yes," she stammered, taken aback by his abrupt remark.

He gave her what seemed to be an encouraging smile. "I'm sure after covering the entrance, it'll get hot inside because of the compressed space. Maybe you and Naruto can work something out. He's a Wind Type."

He left, not noticing the pretty blush staining her cheeks.

"Huh? What did he mean by that?" Naruto inquired, perplexed.

Sakura shook her head, as if trying to will the blush away from her face. "I think… _Naruto_ ," she said suddenly, "do you know how to execute a Wind technique?"

Naruto blinked. "Uh… Yeah. Yeah, I do. Why?"

Sakura stepped over to him and kneeled, looking at him straight in the eyes. Naruto turned slightly pink at their proximity, knowing that his crush on her was still evident, though it was fading away little by little, transitioning into something more…

Either romantic or platonic, he didn't know. But she still had an effect on him, whether it may be large or miniscule.

"Can you do a basic kind?"

"…Basic?" Naruto thought back to when his father had time to teach him a few tricks. One of those was knowing at least one basic technique of Wind Release as well as executing it with various styles. Since Minato was an efficient teacher, Naruto grasped it easily. Of course, that was largely due to the fact that he already knew powerful Wind techniques, like _Rasenshuriken_. "Yeah, I know some."

Naruto held out his hand, palm up, and flawlessly created a small tornado. Sakura stared at it in awe, her eyes dancing around the intricate movements of the wind technique.

"Then… can you alter the wind's temperature?" she asked.

Naruto frowned. "Temperature?" Did wind even _have_ a temperature?

"Yes. Temperature." Sakura eyed him. "Wind, when executed, doesn't normally have a fixed temperature of its own because it doesn't have one, but it can be influenced by external factors. Like, for example, if we're in the Snow Country, the Wind Technique blends in with the surroundings, and thus it even decreases the temperature even more. The same goes if we're in Suna. The winds there are normally very hot, so if you execute a Wind technique there, of course it would feel very warm."

Naruto blinked. "A— _Ah_!" he exclaimed. He didn't quite get the technical explanation, but he _did_ get the gist of it. "So the temperature of wind kinda depends on the temperature of its surroundings?"

Sakura nodded, a smile on her face. "Yes. That's exactly it. And that's also why I asked you if you can alter the temperature of your wind technique. Because if we hide ourselves in here and cover the entrance hole, it'll undoubtedly become very warm inside."

"Oh!" Naruto stared at her. "So you're asking me to cool down our surroundings?"

"Yes!" Sakura said, proud that he managed to understand.

"Well, why didn't ya say so from the start?" Naruto gleefully went to work, excited on testing out the theory. "Don't worry, Sakura-chan! I can do this!"

"Uh, wait—" Sakura interjected, placing a hand on his wrist. "It's impossible for Wind affinities to do it on their own. Let me help you out." She smiled as she held out her own hand beside his, her palm facing upwards. "I'm a Water Type, and water and wind work well together."

Naruto stared at her, amazed. "Wow… You're so smart, Sakura-chan," he praised.

"Of course," she said smugly, and he noted in amusement mixed with pride that her spunky side was finally starting to come out. "Did you know that an Ice Release technique requires both Wind and Water affinities?"

* * *

• • •

* * *

When Sasuke was about to trudge back to the makeshift cave, he suddenly sensed an unknown chakra rushing his way.

Sasuke broke into a run, hoping to warn his teammates and fend off the attacker together.

However, there was a sudden rush of water coming at him. Sasuke gritted his teeth, then formed a single hand seal.

" _Katon: Gōkakyū no Jutsu!_ "

The giant fireball diminished the rushing waves, but there were still more, like a dam broke by the ocean, spilling water like a tide.

 _To be able to amass this much water without any source of it nearby..._ Sasuke narrowed his eyes. _He must be very strong...!_

When the water pooled around him, surrounding him, he prepared to conjure a lightning attack from his body and project it into the water.

However, there was something wrong.

 _What — ?!_ Sasuke's eyes widened immensely. _This water seems strange..._

_No, it's... draining my chakra...!_

"You feel it now?" a cocky voice sounded from nearby. "That feeling of helplessness in the water... with your chakra draining away..."

"Who are you?" Sasuke growled. " _Show yourself!_ "

"Well, since you're so desperate..."

Almost immediately, three figures appeared in the vicinity, their forms hunching by the branches of the trees.

Sasuke stared at them. All three of them looked severely identical; they had the same plain features, along with similar brown hair and black eyes.

They wore the headband of the Hidden Mist Village around their necks.

 _Siblings, huh...?_ Sasuke could sense above average reserves from them and quickly made a hypothesis of his own. Their chakra supply individually could not possibly be capable of conjuring this much water. Perhaps there was a trick to it somehow...

But for now, he had to get out of the water, and _fast_. His reserves were starting to seriously deplete. He tried to take out a kunai from his pouch, but failed when the water came up to his neck. Fatigue began to seep into his body.

" _Hahaha!_ Now, if you don't wanna die here, tell us where your teammates are!" one of the boys declared.

"And show us your scrolls!" the others added.

Sasuke ignored them, his eyes darting around, trying to find a possible loophole out of this technique. It was too impossible for the water to reach every inch of the wide forest, so there must be a barrier of some sort that held all the water in place. Like a _box_ , or a _sphere_.

" _Hey!_ " His opponents began to grow impatient. "I _said,_ tell us where your teammates are, punk!"

Sasuke turned to them slowly.

"I don't need to," he said simply.

"Wha — ?"

Suddenly, the familiar whirring sound of the Rasengan reverberated in the surroundings. The triplets froze in place, startled by the unexpected sound.

" _Take this!_ " Naruto's voice yelled, striking one of them from the back.

" _Aniki!_ " the other two exclaimed.

"Sasuke-kun!"

Sasuke swivelled towards the sound of Sakura's voice. She was standing not too far away from him, making a single hand seal while her other hand gripped a kunai.

"I can sense a small area here where the chakra is concentrated the lowest," she explained, her eyes narrowed in concentration. "If I focus on creating a hole right here using my Water affinity, I'll be able to get you out of there!"

Sasuke nodded, trusting her. He was already starting to run out of energy. _Damn... This technique is troublesome!_

Naruto proceeded to knock out one of the opponents, then darted his head around, clenching his jaw. "What the — where's the last one?!"

In just a few minutes, Sakura opened a gate for Sasuke to come out of, the water gushing out of the barrier. He got out, panting.

"Thanks," he told her.

She beamed. "I'm glad you're okay, Sasuke-kun —"

Another great wave abruptly interrupted her, sending her careening back towards the barrier. Sasuke instinctively groped for her hand, but she slipped away too fast. He watched in shock as the gate she opened mended closed as quickly as it could.

One of the triplets was hunching by a nearby branch, grinning snarkily. "Got her," he said smugly. "Well, it looks like we didn't count on there being an intelligent Water user in the Exams."

"Release Sakura-chan!" Naruto growled, coming to a stand beside Sasuke.

"I will not release her until you show me your scrolls first." The boy laid a hand on his hip cockily, apparently thinking that he had the upper hand. "If you're planning on attacking me, it's useless. If you defeat me, there's _no_ way you can get her out of there. Only someone who can handle their Water affinity well can have a possibility of detecting an opening."

"Ugh..." Naruto looked like he wanted to strangle him. However, Sakura was first priority. Grumbling under his breath, he pushed his hand inside his pouch and took out the scroll.

Sasuke followed reluctantly, taking out their other scroll.

The boy looked at both scrolls, his eyes narrowing. "What the... _None_ of them are what we're looking for! Oh, well..." He shrugged confidently. "Guess I'll have to finish you two off here instead. At least there would be one less competition. _Heh!_ "

" _What_?!"

"Calm down, Naruto." Sasuke swiftly placed his scroll back inside his pouch, with Naruto grudgingly following suit. "You take care of him. I'm going to try to get Sakura out."

Naruto frowned, conflicted. "But he said—"

"I know what he said," Sasuke responded evenly. "But every technique has its own weakness. Besides, they're only genin. There must be a limit as to how big their barrier is. Here, I'm assuming that all three of cast this Water technique since their individual reserves don't cut."

Naruto nodded. "All right. I trust you. Go save her, Sasuke!"

"Got it." Sasuke hopped up a branch until he was no longer in sight.

"Hey! Where are you going?!" their opponent exclaimed angrily. "Ugh, never mind. He'll never find it, anyway."

 _So there_ is _a loophole_! Naruto grinned as he conjured a Rasengan in his hand. _I'll just finish him off and go help Sasuke afterwards._

_Heh… I'm glad he finally took his chance._

* * *

• • •

* * *

Sasuke perched on the top of a tall tree, scrutinizing the barrier. Since it was transparent, it was a bit difficult to make out.

_There's only one way to do it, then._

Activating his Sharingan, Sasuke examined the faint outline, discovering the limitations. Apparently, the barrier could only be of a specific size, about five to six metres high and ten inches wide. There was bound to some sort of loophole somewhere. The technique couldn't be so flawless since mere genins wield it.

Sasuke made up his mind and, when he was at a considerable distance, threw an exploding tag at the roof of the barrier. There was a resounding blast before a hole about his size was revealed after the smoke cleared.

 _Got it_ , Sasuke smirked. _The weakest part where chakra isn't accumulating as much is at the apex of the barrier. Sakura can open up a hole at any point because she's a Water Type, but it doesn't mean that those who don't have Water affinities can't create a hole themselves._

Sasuke immediately swooped down and concentrated chakra on his feet, letting them stick on the barrier's walls as he searched the waters for Sakura. Soon enough, he spotted her, her head bobbing up and down as she tried to stay afloat. However, the waves were too furious for her, and the water was rapidly accumulating. Sasuke gritted his teeth as he tried to think of a solution. If he went there right now, he would likely get swallowed up as well. Using a strong Fire jutsu would evaporate the liquid, but it would harm Sakura as well, and a Lightning jutsu was _definitely_ out of the question.

Then there was no other choice.

" _Sakura!_ " he called out loudly. "Sakura, can you hear me?!"

Sakura gave no indication that she heard his shout, so Sasuke moved closer to where she was, still restricting himself to the walls so as to not get caught in the turbulent waves.

" _Sakura!_ "

This time, she responded quickly, her head darting around in search for his voice.

"S—Sasuke-kun…!" she managed to cry out. "P—Please… he—help…"

"Sakura, I _need_ you to stop moving," Sasuke said. " _Don't_ move an inch from your position. I'll get you out of there."

Sakura's eyes widened. "B—But…!"

 _If I stop moving, I'll drown!_ she thought to herself in panic.

"Sakura! Do you _trust_ me?"

Sakura's heart stopped. She liked Sasuke, of course. But she had never really trusted anyone aside from her family with her _life_ before. It was a natural instinct ingrained into her. Her body would _always_ try to defend itself, to make her safety the biggest priority above all else.

But she had never been placed into a situation like this before. This was _water_ itself, and the fear of drowning was too much for her to handle. She didn't know any Water techniques which could allow her to breathe underwater, nor did she know any other ways on how she could get herself out of the mess she brought upon herself.

_I'm still so weak… and relying solely on my teammates…_

She wanted to cry.

" _Sakura!_ " Sasuke yelled once more. "You _have_ to trust me! _Don't move!_ "

And Sakura's heart skipped a beat.

Sasuke sounded… almost _desperate._

Something inside her surfaced, and she pressed her lips into a thin line.

" _…Okay!_ " Sakura yelled at the top of her lungs before she finally let herself go. Her arms relaxed and retracted back to her sides and her legs stopped treading water. She shut her eyes as she felt herself rapidly submerging into the water.

 _I won't die, I won't die…_ she chanted to herself. _Sasuke-kun will save me._

 _I_ trust _him._

At that moment, something huge grabbed her and threw her up in the air, causing her eyes to snap open in shock. Then, without any further ado, Sasuke instantly made his Susano'o disappear and caught his teammate before she plummeted back to the waters.

"Sasuke-kun!" Sakura exclaimed, her eyes the size of saucers. Her tone was a mixture of relief and shock, something which was completely understandable. "H—How…?"

"No time for that," Sasuke responded gruffly. "We gotta get back to Naruto and see how he's doing."

_Not that he'll lose to a mere genin, though._

When they arrived at where Sasuke left Naruto, they found the latter waving at them excitedly, triumphantly holding up a scroll with black and white stripes.

"Hey, hey!" he called out. "This is our scroll, right?!"

Sakura gasped, running to him after Sasuke released her. "Yes, that's it!" she exclaimed. "I can't believe we managed to complete one our objectives so quickly!"

"Then that means all that's left is…" Sasuke drawled, inconspicuously clutching his arm where he summoned a part of his Susano'o earlier. Using that technique in his current body was starting to take a toll on him despite having at least half of his power from the future.

Naruto nodded, though if he noticed Sasuke's slight discomfort, he did not let anything show on his expression. "We need to find the scroll that matches the same one we have."

"Do you think we should take their other scroll, too?" Sakura inquired, staring at the unconscious forms of their opponents.

"Oh? Look who we have here."

Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura immediately swivelled their heads towards the direction of the voice.

There, standing right before them, were three people about twelve or thirteen years old. There were two boys and one girl. The girl at the center had long, dark-orange hair and unsettling dark eyes. She wore a simple white dress accompanied by long sleeves and a brown blazer. The boy to the left was tall for his age, with clean-cut black hair and small, almond-shaped eyes. He wore a dark suit and was gripping what seemed to be a metal staff that was similar to Naruto's. The last boy to the right was a brunette, and he donned simple, casual clothing consisting of brown pants and a beige shirt.

"Looks like Yuka's intuition was right," the brunette remarked with a smirk.

"So these three are our opponents?" the other boy uttered, absently twirling his staff expertly in his hand.

"…" The girl, Yuka, did not say anything.

Naruto stepped forward protectively in front of his teammates.

"If you wanna fight, you'll have to go through _me_ first," he growled.

* * *

• • •

* * *

"This exam is too scary," Chōji whined, fear overtaking him as he and his team trudged deeper into the forest. "It's like we're being made to fight each other as much as possible…"

"Don't worry, don't worry!" Ino said, forcing some exaggerated confidence into her voice. "We'll just find some team weaker than us and see if we have the same scroll!"

 _There's no other team weaker than us…_ Shikamaru thought to himself absently, still very much unmotivated yet was driven slightly by the need to finish this as soon as possible. It was too troublesome to find a team with the scroll they were looking for, but they had no choice.

Sounds of fighting drifted into their ears, and the three of them froze instantly, instinctively hiding themselves behind a bush. Their eyes peeked out of the leaves, mad curiosity dwelling within them.

There were two teams facing off against each other. One seemed to consist of Grass nin while the other group were the Suna nin back before the first exam started. It seemed like the latter was winning since they all stood calmly and confidently in their place, watching as the Grass nins tried to stand straighter.

"You picked the wrong opponent to fight," Kankuro drawled, not even needing to use his puppet.

"We didn't _pick_ you!" one of the Grass nins retorted hotly. "You have the scroll we need!"

" _Nomu_!" his teammate exclaimed.

Kankuro shrugged. "Well, too bad. Looks like you'll be failing in this round."

"Kankuro," Gaara said quietly, his arms folded across his chest as he continued to observe their opponents. "Don't antagonize them."

"Then let's finish them off," Kankuro said.

"They haven't showed us their scrolls yet," Temari said flatly. "Gaara, would you mind…?"

Gaara nodded, letting his sand move towards the Grass nins.

" _Riku_!" Nomu yelled, seeing that the sand got to her first.

"Nomu…" Riku struggled in the sand's grip. "You and Zato run away!"

"No way!" Nomu protested. "We ain't leaving you behind!"

Zato gritted his teeth, turning towards Gaara. "Hey!" he shouted, running towards them and kneeling before them.

" _Zato?!_ " Nomu said incredulously.

" _Please!_ " Zato begged, planting his face on the ground. "Let our comrade go! We will show you our scrolls and give away what you need and _never_ bother you again!"

"Zato…" Nomu murmured, looking downcast. He glanced at Riku, who was tearing up slightly.

The exams be damned. He wasn't going to come out of this forest dead, and neither would his comrades. If one of their scrolls held the one which the other team had as well, then they would have to accept their defeat right then and there.

Nomu, filled with newfound determination, swept towards Zato's side and mimicked his position.

"Please let us go!" he pleaded.

"Guys…" Riku muttered, aghast.

Gaara stared at them for a brief moment before eventually slackening his sand's hold on Riku, allowing her to land on the ground softly.

" _Gaara?!_ " Kankuro exclaimed in surprise.

"Huh… You _actually_ let her go…" Temari murmured.

When Riku was released, she immediately went towards Gaara and held out her team's two scrolls.

"As promised," she breathed out. "We Grass ninjas don't dishonour our word."

Temari peered at the scrolls. "All right," she said, taking the scroll with white and brown stripes. "Now we've accomplished our one goal."

"Now _scram_ ," Kankuro ordered.

The Grass ninjas immediately retreated, their forms disappearing into the trees.

Temari smirked as Gaara and Kankuro began to go on their way.

"Huh… You're too soft, Gaara," she muttered under her breath, attaching her giant fan to her back.

" _Damn_ …" Shikamaru said. "They're strong."

"Hey! Those Grass nins…" Ino's face turned as pale as sheet. "They have the same scroll as ours…!"

Chōji jerked, his eyes wide. "You mean…?"

"So we have to fight them, huh…?" Shikamaru frowned.

 _We didn't get to see their abilities since those Sand guys overpowered them easily, but there's a chance that they might really be weak. However… there's also a chance that even if they_ were _weak before the ninjas of the Sand, they might possess skills that could crush us._

"Th—Then we have to follow them?" Chōji said tentatively.

Shikamaru nodded, heaving a sigh. "We have no choice… If we ever want to pass this Exam, we have to try to fight."

"Well, come on!" Ino urged, though her voice faltered at the last bit. "Let's go after them and observe them for a bit. Then we can devise a strategy to take them down!"

Shikamaru opened his mouth to say something when suddenly, a soft, almost unnatural gust of wind flew at them.

The three of them froze in place.

"Oi… I know you're out there," Temari called out, smirking slightly. "Come on out, Konoha brats."

Chōji swallowed heavily. "Sh—Shikamaru… Wh—Wh—What do we do…?!"

"…Stay calm," Shikamaru said, clenching his jaw. "Let's do what she says first."

When they revealed themselves before the female Sand ninja, Ino couldn't help but glance at the older girl's fan. It looked so heavy, but earlier, she held it so easily as if it were as light as a feather.

That Gaara person was the one who was lenient towards the Grass nin while Kankuro was the one who seemed hell-bent on finishing them. The girl, Temari, on the other hand… Ino couldn't read her.

"So, do you want to fight," Temari drawled, "or do you want to peacefully show your scrolls to me?"

Ino twitched, gritting her teeth. _What confidence she has…_

Shikamaru sighed, not even hesitating when he took out their scrolls from his pouch.

" _Shikamaru_!" Ino exclaimed, aghast.

"We don't have any other choice," he said.

"But she's _alone_!" Ino protested. "We can take her down with the three of us!"

Chōji squeaked slightly in the background.

"O- _ho_ , how awfully confident of you." Temari smiled as she peered at their scrolls. "Well, lucky for you, you don't have the scroll we're searching for."

"Then… you'll let us go?" Chōji spoke up hesitantly.

"Well… I wonder about that." Temari's small smile considerably curved into a malicious smirk. "Should I play with you guys for a while… or let you scurry away?"

Ino couldn't take it anymore and rushed at her, kunai in hand. "You cocky _little_ —"

Temari, apparently pleased with this turn of events, opened her fan a bit to reveal a purple circle.

"Ino, _don't_ —!" Shikamaru tried to warn.

It was too late. Ino was blown away, to the point where she tumbled onto the ground due to the force of the wind.

"First star," Temari announced.

" _Tch…!_ " Shikamaru turned to face her. "We're not going to fight you any further. Please go back to your teammates."

Temari raised an eyebrow. "Oh…? You're telling _me_ what to do now?"

It must have been an odd scene for a possible onlooker. A ten-year-old girl carrying a giant fan, facing off against a slouched seven-year-old boy who was standing in front of his teammate protectively.

Temari watched the young boy in front of her, her eyes narrowed slightly.

Shikamaru tensed, preparing to make instant hand seals if necessary.

Then Temari turned her back on them, closing up her giant fan and attaching it to her back.

"I have no use for weaklings like you." Her voice was cold enough to bring slight chills down his spine.

Ino's face lit up in puzzlement, but her eyes were narrowed in suspicion. "What does that mean?" she demanded. "Then you won't fight us?"

Temari snorted as she walked away, her form disappearing into the forest. "Even in a thousand years, you won't be able to land a hit on me, little brat."

" _What?!_ " Ino was quick on her feet, clenching her hands into fists as a giant tic mark appeared on her temple. " _Aaargh!_ That little — she makes me _so_ mad!"

Shikamaru let out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding. "Calm down, Ino," he said, annoyed. "You shouldn't have provoked her in the first place."

"Hey!" Ino said, indignant. "She was _asking_ for it!"

Shikamaru looked at her. "I know that you were planning to catch her off-guard and make her think that you're an impulsive fighter, but it wouldn't have worked." He paused uncertainly. "Even her chakra is different from ours. It's _much_ more developed."

"She _does_ look older than we are," Chōji interjected tentatively.

Ino pouted. "How can you see all that just from observing her?"

"Didn't you notice the way she held her fan?" Shikamaru was met by his teammates' confused looks and sighed. "Look, at least it's over now. Let's go search for those Grass ninjas and try to take their scroll."

Ino and Chōji nodded, and then the three of them began running through the trees.

 _We're lucky we got out of an unnecessary fight…_ Shikamaru thought of the cold voice he heard.

_There's something amiss in this test… Something we're overlooking…_

_I'd better find it out soon._

* * *

• • •

* * *

"Hey, it's those kids back in the first exam, wreaking havoc in the hallway," Kyo remarked, fingering the sheath of his sword.

"Show us your scrolls," Sasuke demanded, also gripping his scabbard.

Hatori wordlessly took out two scrolls from his pouch, revealing them easily.

Naruto's jaw clenched slightly. _Just like that?_

Sakura trembled, sensing that their opponents were not people to be trifled with. Their auras alone spoke of experience and firm confidence. It was enough to make her step back, inconspicuously hiding behind her teammates' backs.

She didn't want to be or even look scared, but she had never really been a good fighter no matter how much she tried.

Sasuke cautiously peered at their scrolls. None of them were what they needed.

" _Now_ , Yuka," Hatori suddenly said before he promptly disappeared in sight.

Sasuke's eyes widened. " _Watch out!_ " he yelled as he ran over to Sakura.

" _Earth Style: Rising Cliff._ "

A large dune-like stone immediately uprooted from the ground, narrowly missing Sakura's body by mere inches as she was instantly shoved out of the way by Sasuke.

" _Sakura-chan! Sasuke!_ " Naruto yelled in concern. However, his worry was momentarily postponed when he felt an immediate presence behind him.

" _Fire Style: Flame Wheels!_ "

Naruto quickly jumped out of the way of the searing flames, landing on a distance not too far away from his opponent.

"Ah," Kyo said casually, "didn't think you'd dodge that so fast. Looks like you _are_ the Hokage's son, after all."

"Sasuke-kun!" Sakura exclaimed in worry. "Are you okay?!"

"I'm not hurt," Sasuke said in a clipped tone. "Be on your guard! There's still no telling what might happen!"

" _Y—Yes!_ " Sakura gave a shaky nod.

At that moment, a metal staff came whirling at their direction. Sasuke, sensing it, immediately leaped out of the way while Sakura did the same, albeit landing on the opposite direction.

As if intentional or even by coincidence, the three members of Team 7 were now facing their own opponents. Naruto's jaw was clenched as he stared at Kyo, who only stared back with an expression almost akin to boredom on his face. Yuka was standing before Sakura, the latter frozen in place. Hatori, on the other hand, was taking his metal staff from the ground, all the while seemingly appraising Sasuke.

It was only now that Sasuke realized something.

_They didn't even ask us what scrolls we have._

* * *

**tbc**

* * *

• • •

• •

•

* * *

**OMAKE/EXTRA**

* * *

"I still can't _believe_ you helped me in planning my test!" Kushina marveled, humming to herself happily. "My husband is _so_ smart…!"

Minato blushed, sheepishly rubbing the back of his head. "Because you said you were having a hard time coming up with the perfect test that would only enable two options among all teams."

Kushina nodded, grinning brightly. "Yep! Either they choose _war_ , or they choose _peace_.

"It's that simple."

* * *

[ **X** ] When Naruto said " _I'm glad he finally took his chance_ ", it did not mean to imply anything romantic. Because Sasuke was often hesitating about whether or not he would be the one to save Sakura, and also often just leaving it to Naruto, he finally let go of his doubts. It might _seem_ a bit OOC, but this is now a redeemed Sasuke, and he hasn't apologized to Sakura properly yet like he did back at the Valley of the End. :)

[ **X** ] Sorry if this chapter is confusing... I really have no time to properly proofread it. T.T I'll fix it up when semestral break comes!

 

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [How to Deal with a (Bad?) Life Reset...s](https://archiveofourown.org/works/12161493) by [Valkyrian_Profiler](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Valkyrian_Profiler/pseuds/Valkyrian_Profiler)




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